Objective: To study the clinical characteristics and treatment of meningiomas in children. Methods: One hundred and sixty-six meningiomas in children, including 12 cases treated in Qilu hospital and 8 series reported in the literature, were analyzed retrospectively on sex, age distribution, presenting symptoms, signs, radiological and pathological findings, treatment and prognosis. Results: The ratio of boys and girls was 2.3:1. The age ranged from 0.5 to 15 years (mean 9.9 years). Cranial nerve disorder (28%) and signs of chronic increased intracranial pressure such as headaches (62%), vomiting (53%) and papilledema (55%) were the most common symptoms. The most common location was the cerebral convexity (41%), followed by ventricles (15%), saddle areas (8%), cerebellopontine angles (8%), brain intraparenchyma (5%), parasagittal regions (4%), etc. Homogeneous density was observed in 62.3% of all cases, calcification in 14.8%, cystic components in 21.3% and intratumoral hemorrhage in 1.6%. On average, the epithelial and fibroblastic types of meningiomas took up 55% of the case, while the amount of malignant or atypical meningiomas averaged 9%. Complete tumor excision was achieved in 74%, and postoperative mortality was 3.3%. Conclusions: Compared with meningiomas in adults, meningiomas in children occur predominantly in males with a lower incidence rate of epilepsy, and are frequently associated with multiple neurofibromatosis. Meningiomas in children have a poorer prognosis than those in adults. Degree of the first tumor resection, tumor location, pathological grade and association with neurofibromatosis are the most important factors influencing the patients’ prognoses.

Keywords:
Children, meningioma, Clinical characteristics, Prognosis
1.
Yang K, Chen J, Jiang X: Intracranial meningiomas in children. Chin J Clin Neurosurg 2000;5:21–23.
2.
Jiang Z, Ma Z, Luo S: Intracranial meningiomas in children: a report of 19 cases. Chin J Pediatr Surg 2002;23:313–315.
3.
Liang J, Yang H, Huang Q: Diagnosis and treatment of pediatric meningiomas. Chin J Neurosurg 2002;18:408.
4.
Wang Y, Ma Z, Luo S: Meningiomas in children. Chin J Mini Invasive Neurosurg 2002;7:20–22.
5.
Wang C, Mei J, Wang Y: Clinicopathologic characters of children meningioma. Acta Acad Med Jiangxi 2002;42:139–140.
6.
Chen B, Jin G, Cai L: Clinical characteristics, pathological and neuroimaging findings of pediatric meningiomas. J Ningxia Med Coll 2005;27:309–311.
7.
Erdincler P, Lena G, Sarioglu AC, Kuday C, Choux M: Intracranial meningiomas in children: review of 29 cases. Surg Neurol 1998;49:136–141.
8.
Im SH, Wang KC, Kim SK, Oh CW, Kim DG, Hong SK, Kim NR, Chi JG, Cho BK: Children meningioma: unusual location, atypical radiological findings, and favorable treatment outcome. Childs Nerv Syst 2001;17:656–662.
9.
Sheikh BY, Siqueira E, Dayel F: Meningioma in children: a report of nine cases and review of the literature. Surg Neurol 1996;45:328–335.
10.
Wang Z: Wang Zhongcheng’s Neurosurgery, ed 1. Hubei, Hubei Technology Publishing House, 2005, pp 587–590.
11.
Molleston MC, Moran CJ, Roth KA, Rich KM: Infantile meningiomas. Pediatr Neurosurg 1994;21:195.
12.
Amirjmshidi A, Mehrazin M, Abbassioun K: Meningiomas of the central nervous system occurring below the age of 17: report of 24 cases not associated with neurofibromatosis and review of literature. Childs Nerv Syst 2000;16:406–416.
13.
Germano IM, Edwards MS, Davis RL, Schiffer D: Intracranial meningioma of the first two decades of life. J Neurosurg 1994;80:447–453.
14.
Baumgartner JE, Sorenson JM: Meningiomas in the pediatric population. J Neuro-Oncol 1996;29:223–228.
15.
Glasier CM, Husain MM, Chadduck W, Boop FA: Meningiomas in children: MR and histopathologic findings. AJNR 1993;14:237–241.
16.
Darling CF, Byrd SE, Reyes-Mugica M, Tomita T, Osborn RE, Radkowski MA, Allen ED: MR of pediatric intracranial meningiomas. AJNR 1994;15:435–444.
17.
Wan F, Wang Y, Chen J: Meningiomas in children: a report of 23 cases. Chin J Pediatr Surg 2002;23:310–312.
18.
Zhang Z: Meningiomas in children: a report of 7 cases. J Guangxi Med Univ 2000;17:125–126.
19.
Wang C: New development of diagnosis and treatment of malignant meningioma. Foreign Med Neurol Neurosurg 2003;30:159–162.
20.
Wu C, Liu Y: Clinical Neurosurgery, ed 1. Beijing, People’s Health Press, 2003, pp 305–306.
© 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel
2008
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.