Distant Metastases from Meningiomas – A Myth or Reality?
- 1. Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Canada
Distant Metastases from Meningiomas – A Myth or Reality?
Meningioma is a common slow-growing benign intracranial neoplasm arising from the arachnoid cap and is composed of neoplastic meningothelial (arachnoidal) cells. Meningiomas account for 14-19% of all primary intracranial neoplasms [1]. Though the majority of meningiomas behave in a benign fashion, malignant behavior of meningiomas is well documented, especially with repeated recurrences. Such malignant behavior is usually limited to local recurrence and/or cranio-axial spread. Extracranial metastases from meningiomas are an exceeding uncommon event and are usually found in <0.1-0.2% of cases, many of whom have advanced disseminated disease, though isolated metastases to the liver and lung have also been reported [1,2]. Rarely, delayed metastases may be seen several decades after treatment of the initial tumor and in the absence of local intracranial recurrence [1].