Will chromosome karyotyping of meningiomas aid prediction of tumour recurrence?

Cytogenetic studies over many years have established absence or deletion of chromosome 22 as a common finding in meningiomas. Enormous karyotypic variation is recognised: an abnormal hyperdiploid clone can occur in a histologically benign meningioma. The cytogenetic, histopathological and macroscopic findings in 13 meningiomas of a prospective study are presented. Where the neuropathologist reported the presence of malignant change, a cytogenetically abnormal clone was more common in short-term culture of the tumour tissue. Histologically benign meningiomas showed great cytogenetic variation, from normal chromosomes to hyperdiploid clones with extensive karyotypic abnormality indicating malignant change. We suggest the addition of cytogenetic findings to histopathological features in assessing 'malignancy' in meningiomas and the risk of recurrence or regrowth.