Turkish Neurosurgery 2004 , Vol 14 , Num 1-2
Evaluation of Forty-Five Atypical and Malignant Meningioma Cases: Over the 12-Years Follow-Up Period
Zeki ŞEKERCİ1, Nezih ORAL1, Ömer UĞURLUOĞLU2, Efkan ÇOLPAN1, Alparslan UĞUR1
1Department of Neurosurgery, Social Security Ankara Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
2Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
OBJECTIVE: We investigated atypical and malignant meningiomas based on the Modified World Health Organization (WHO) histological criteria of malignance.

METHOD: We present 45 surgical cases ( 26 atypical and 19 malignant) of total 504 meningiomas operated in Social Security Ankara Education and Research Hospital between 1990-2002. Atypical and malignant meningiomas were diagnosed based on the modified WHO criteria.

RESULTS: Median age of atypical meningiomas was 45.8 with female dominance and of malignant meningiomas was 49.2 years with male predominance. Median survival time of atypical meningiomas for Simpson Grade I was 7.5 years; Grade II was 7.3 years; and Grade III was 7.2 years; while for malignant meningiomas was 7.3, 6.2, 5.6 years, respectively. Median recurrence free interval time was 6.6 years for atypical and 6.5 years for malignant meningiomas. Radiotherapy was performed on two recurred atypical meningiomas and 11 malignant meningiomas.

CONCLUSION: Although malignant meningiomas were accepted to be more aggressive than atypical meningiomas, survival time showed no difference between two groups in our series. Decision making about atypical meningiomas close to malignant forms and radical surgery greatly improved the results in both groups. We also experienced that radiotherapy was beneficial in malignant meningiomas. Keywords : Meningiomas, atypical, malignant, brain neoplasm, recurrence, follow-up, radiotherapy, surgery

Corresponding author : Efkan Çolpan, efkancolpan@hotmail.com