Intracranial meningiomas in children: ten-year experience.

Meningiomas are central nervous system neoplasms derived from arachnoid cap cells. They are the second most common brain tumors after gliomas, but are rare in children. Furthermore, meningiomas exhibit different behavior in this age group. From 1997-2007, 7 children with brain meningiomas were treated at the Department of Neurosurgery, Brazilian National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They represented 2.7% of all brain meningiomas, and 2.1% of all brain tumors, in children followed during this period at our institution. There were 4 boys, and the mean age at diagnosis was 7.3 years. Headaches, seizures, and motor deficits were the most frequent signs at presentation. All patients underwent surgery, and total resection was achieved in 6 of 7 patients. Most lesions were World Health Organization class I meningiomas. There were no deaths, and patients were asymptomatic or demonstrated mild motor or sensory signs at follow-up. In conclusion, meningiomas are rare in the pediatric population. Most of the lesions are low-grade, and the prognosis in this setting is good.