Secondary intracraneal meningiomas after high dose cranial radiation therapy: report of two cases and literature review

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Ionizing radiation is the only established risk factor today in the pathogenesis of meningioma. Radiation-induced meningiomas (RIMs)are an unusual complication of radiation therapy which often challenge skilled neurosurgeons. We report 2 RIM cases and discuss existing reports. Case Reports: A 55-year old woman presented with a RIM after adjuvant radiation therapy for low-grade astrocytoma. An 18-year old man presented a RIM after craniospinal radiation therapy for medulloblastoma. Both patients were treated and are alive and well. Discussion: RIMs have been associated with younger age at symptom onset, higher male-to-female ratio and more aggressive meningiomas. Our reports have several common points with existing RIM series. Prolonged radiological surveillance for RIMs has been suggested, but eurosurgeonsshould always remember this clinical entity when following patients who were submitted to radiation therapy in the past.