Meningioma vs Shwannoma?

[phx]

Okay...I'm confused now. I had surgery for an acoustic neuroma. All I know was that it was an acoustic neuroma. I had a 16 hr proecudure with 15% tumor removal and 70% remaining. Results: Doctors said mine bled too much and that they've NEVER seen one like mine in their 20 yrs? I saw another doctor and he said something about a meningioma (tumor on brain stem). So now I'm wondering, did they think I had a "shwannoma" instead and approached the surgery the wrong way? But what's the real difference besides the fact that one bleeds more than the other? Are they diagnosed the same way or should they usually be able to tell if it's a schwannoma vs a meningioma?

[leapyrtwins]

Acoustic neuromas are also known as vestibular schwannomas.  Meningiomas are kind of the same thing, but are different.

I'm not sure what the differences are, but I'm sure someone here on the Forum knows and will help me out here.

Jan

[mk]

Their origins are different. Schwannomas originate from the schwann cells surrounding the nerves, whereas meningiomas originate from the meninges. So histologically they are different, but the way they present themselves is similar and the treatment is also similar. Sometimes it is hard to tell one from the other based on the MRI alone, and there have been quite a few instances where the doctors went into surgery thinking it was an AN and it turned out to be a meningioma, or vice-versa. I don't think that the fact that it bled a lot has to do with what type of tumor it was, but rather that it was very vascular, but I could be wrong.

Marianna

[ppearl214]

A meningioma (benign growth) developes from the meninges, the membrane that covers the brain and spinal column. Please see this link from Brigham/Womans in Boston for a laymens definition:

http://www.brighamandwomens.org/neurosurgery/Meningioma/Meningiomafacts.aspx


A schwannoma is also a benign growth with its origins from the schwann cells that act as a sheath over a nerve.

hope that helps!
Phyl

[moe]

Good link from Phyl.
Meningiomas and acoustic neuromas can present themselves the same way in symptoms.

 In fact I just read about meningioma in the Mayo Clinic Health Letter that I  get.
Another benign brain tumor which grows outside the brain tissue. It mentioned that direct nerve involvement is uncommon, but it may develop on the optic nerve.

During the surgery they should have been able to make the distinction. Can you possibly get a operation report? I read some of your old posts, and hope you are feeling better. I remember how scared you were. Either way, I think the surgical approach may be the same.

I also had an  AN that was very vascular (bloody), which IS uncommon but does happen.  Are you going to have more surgery?

I'm sorry to hear that you are getting mixed information. Very confusing and distressing. Would like to know how you are doing from that long surgery.

Hang in there,
Maureen

[Tod]

My tumor was a bit larger and compressing the brainstem. Surgery was my only option. When they started working on mine, it also bled a lot and was very sticky. What was supposed to have been a 16-18 hour surgery ended being 32 hours because the neurosurgeon simply did not want to give up until he had to do so.

Have your docs talked about next steps? Have discussed whether or not they have removed enough to allow radio therapy?

I am really sorry that you are in this in between situation. It is hard enough to deal with a clearly successful surgery, let alone one that did not go as expected.

Best of luck to you,

Tod

[jerseygirl]

Hi,

They should give a piece of the tumor to pathology to make sure it is not cancerous. This is a standard procedure in most cases. The pathology should have confirmed that it was either shwannoma or meningioma. Request a pathology report; that should tell you which is which.

               Eve

[leapyrtwins]

They should give a piece of the tumor to pathology to make sure it is not cancerous. This is a standard procedure in most cases.

Just wanted to note for the newbies, that 99.9% of acoustic neuromas are not cancerous.

As Eve said, sending a piece to pathology is standard procedure during my most AN surgeries.

Jan

[jerseygirl]

Thanks, Jan. It's important to remind newbies (and ourselves!) that most ANs are not cancerous.

               Eve

[phx]

Good news...they did have a pathology report done and no it's not cancerous. I'm looking into cyberknife radiation now. I can not put myself through another surgery. If my tumor does not grow anymore, I am perfectly fine the way I am. The neurosurgeon wanted me to schedule surgery the following week right after the day I had my first surgery, but I said no. It's just weird that they say they've never seen anything like my tumor even after my surgery, but meningiomas have  been heard of. My  doctors were very pro surgery and they didn't mention much about radiation. They said my only option was really surgery. Thanks everyone for all your input.

[jerseygirl]

I don't get it. Didn't the pathology report state what kind of cells they saw under the microscope before they could determine if they were cancerous or not? So, is a shwannoma or meningioma or perhaps something else?

                     Eve

[phx]

I don't get it either....