Like the tumour’s growth, the symptoms appear gradually and initially may be subtle. Depending on the location in the brain, or rarely in the spine, the tumour occurs, symptoms include the following:

• Changes in vision, seeing double or blurriness
• Headaches that get worse with time
• Hearing loss or ringing in the ears
• Memory loss
• Loss of smell
• Seizures
• Weakness in the limbs

Diagnosis begins with the doctor checking the patient’s and his/her family’s medical history. A comprehensive physical examination is followed by a neurological audit. The latter includes testing the patient’s mental condition, memory, muscle strength and coordination, reflexes, cranial nerve function and response to pain.

Further testing will be done with tumour scans like Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), computerised tomography (CT), etc. to help determine the type, stage and location of the tumour. In many cases, further investigation through angiograms of the blood vessels or even a biopsy may become necessary.

Treatment options for meningiomas vary according to the patient’s age, general health and the size, stage and location of the tumour. Every treatment has its own benefits and risks, which the doctor discusses with the patient beforehand.

Surgical intervention remains the best option if the meningioma is growing, malignant and causing symptoms. A neurosurgeon performs open brain surgery or craniotomy to remove all of the tumour or most of it as its location dictates. Samples of the tumour are taken during surgery and examined to confirm the type of the tumour and its stage. If some of the tumour is left attached to neighboring arteries or nerves, radiation therapy can eradicate the remainder.

There are many advanced technologies, which have greatly improved the neurosurgeon’s ability to locate the tumour precisely, define its borders, avoid injury to critical brain regions and confirm how much of the tumour can safely be removed during surgery. These procedures include:

• Image-guided surgery (IGS)
• Brain mapping functional MRI (fMRI)
• Keyhole & endoscopic surgery
• Interoperative MRI or CT

Brain & Spine

Our centre has a multi-disciplinary approach to treating brain tumours, which involves experts from various treatment procedures working together to select the best treatment method for individual patients.

We treat many patients with brain tumours every year, including meningiomas. Brain & Spine employs the latest technologies and expertise in tumour management which leads to better outcomes and minimum heath adversity. Our emphasis on quality of life makes this difficult journey of patients and their families less stressful.