What Are Meningiomas?

Meningiomas are “brain tumours” although they do not grow from brain tissue. They arise from the meninges - the thin tissue covering the brain and spinal cord. They usually grow inward causing pressure on the brain or spinal cord, although occasionally they also grow outward and cause the skull to thicken.

They are usually benign i.e., non-cancerous, and slowly growing, and often grow to a large size before showing symptoms.

Incidence

They are the most common tumour in Singapore, and occur most often in people between 40-60 years of age. Benign meningiomas occur in both men and women.