A meningioma is characterized as a tumor, originating from the membranes known as meninges that cover the spinal cord and the brain. Most meningiomas grow slowly, and frequently without generating symptoms for years. However, their impact on surrounding brain tissue, nerves, or arteries can result in significant damage. Meningiomas are mostly found in women than in men.
The cerebellopontine angle, sometimes known as the CPA, is a landmark that is significant both physically and clinically. Cerebellopontine Angle Meningioma is one of the most prevalent lesions at CPA. Some ways to treat it are to observe, use radiosurgery, or do microsurgery.
The clinical importance of CPA comes from the fact that there are many lesions in this area that can cause a wide range of vague symptoms. The most common of these are dizziness, sensorineural hearing loss, and tinnitus. CPA tumors are divided into two types: those that arise from structures inside the CPA and those that expand into the CPA from neighboring regions.
Cerebellopontine Angle Meningioma Symptoms
The most prevalent symptoms of Cerebellopontine Angle Meningioma are gait difficulties, migraines, vertigo, dizziness, tinnitus, and hearing loss. The involvement of the cochlear nerve causes most unilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The cochlear nerve is the primary cause of sensorineural hearing loss, which occurs primarily in the left ear. Additionally, larger tumors cause cranial nerve deficiency symptoms, brain stem compression, and hydrocephalus.
Meningiomas are slow-growing tumors that typically do not show symptoms until they have grown to a large size. Some meningiomas go unnoticed for the rest of a patient’s life or are discovered unexpectedly during a brain scan for unrelated symptoms. Meningiomas can cause the following symptoms:
- Seizures.
- Change in behavior or personality.
- Confusion.
- Drowsiness.
- Ringing in the ear or hearing loss.
- Visual Disorders.
- Headaches.
- Nausea or Vomiting.
Cerebellopontine Angle Meningioma Causes
Meningioma risk rises steadily with age, reaching a point of remarkable elevation at 65 years of age. The meningiomas affect the children aged from 0 to 14. The demographic group in which Meningiomas are common is the African Americans. Ionizing radiation exposure, particularly in high doses, is linked to an increased risk of brain cancers, particularly meningiomas.
The one cause of Meningioma is neurofibromatosis type 2.
Patients of NF2 are mostly affected by this disease.
There is also a link between Meningioma and hormones such as:
- A significant proportion of meningiomas include estrogen, progesterone, and androgen receptors.
- Connection with breast cancer.
- The growth of Meningioma is also connected with the menstrual cycles and pregnancy.
In addition to these connections with the hormones, a link between obesity and the incidence of meningioma in multiple major studies is found.
Cerebellopontine Angle Meningioma Prognosis
CPA meningiomas are difficult to treat surgically. When compared to vestibular schwannomas, the likelihood of facial paralysis and hearing loss is substantially reduced. To properly inform patients about surgical risks, novel preoperative differentiating methods are required.
One of the most significant indicators of outcome in adults is the age of the patient at the time of diagnosis. A better outcome is achieved when the entire tumor is removed surgically. It is found in one of the United States statistical reports that the non-malignant meningioma has an overall ten-year survival rate of 84%. Similarly, the ten-year survival rate for people with malignant meningiomas is 62%.
Cerebellopontine Angle Meningioma Treatment
The treatment options that are mostly used by the doctors for this type of Meningioma are as follows:
- Surgery: Meningiomas are benign tumors with well-defined borders that can be surgically removed completely for the highest chance of a cure. Using a craniotomy, a neurosurgeon removes the skull’s membranes to access the meningioma. Surgical removal of the meningioma, including the fibers that connect it to the brain and bone, is the purpose of this procedure.
- Observation: Observation over time is appropriate for the patients with mild or few symptoms and the older patients.
- Radiotherapy: High-energy X-rays are used in radiation therapy to destroy cancer cells and aberrant brain cells, as well as reduce tumors.
- Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is only used to treat atypical or malignant subtypes of meningioma that cannot be treated adequately with radiation therapy or surgery.