Meningioma: After Treatment




People treated for benign meningioma typically have yearly follow-up visits with a neurosurgeon or neuro-oncologist. Because meningioma may come back, people are routinely monitored for new symptoms with regular MRI scans as well as physical examinations. The frequency of the checkups and scans varies widely from patient to patient; your plan will be determined by your oncologist or neuro-oncologist. People with a more aggressive tumor may need checkups more often and ongoing medical care after recovery from surgery. If radiation therapy was given to the pituitary gland, evaluations of hormone levels may be needed. ASCO offers treatment summary forms to help keep track of the treatment you received and develop a survivorship care plan once treatment is completed.

As described in previous sections, meningioma and its treatments can affect the functioning of the brain as well as your daily well-being. For this reason, it is sometimes helpful for the health care team to monitor your quality of life and evaluate your cognitive (thought-process) abilities through specialized tests, often given by a neuropsychologist. A neuropsychologist is a psychologist who studies causes of brain disorders and specializes in diagnosing and treating these disorders using mostly a medical approach. These evaluations could identify certain problems that may benefit from specific therapies, such as speech or occupational therapy, counseling with a social worker, or prescription medications that can help to reduce fatigue or improve memory. Whenever possible, participation in a support group with other people diagnosed with a CNS tumor is highly encouraged.

In addition, people with difficulties moving or performing daily physical functions, such as weakness or imbalance, may benefit by talking with a doctor who specializes in rehabilitation medicine, because the specialist may be able to recommend specific strategies for recovery. Learn more about rehabilitation.

