Recurrence of intracranial meningiomas, with special reference to radiotherapy.

Three hundred thirty-six cases of meningioma were analyzed retrospectively with regard to the recurrence rate and the effect of radiotherapy on recurrent meningiomas. There was recurrence in 14 out of 173 cases (8.1%) after apparently complete removal and in 26 out of 90 cases (28.9%) after obviously incomplete removal. Radiotherapy was given in 7 cases after repeat complete removal of recurrent tumors. It was concluded that irradiation in recurrent menigiomas is of little value, although it might be beneficial occasionally. One of the most important limiting factors in application of radiation therapy to recurrent meningiomas appears to be vulnerability to radiation of the surroundng brain, which has been damaged already.