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Causes

By Mayo Clinic staff

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Illustration showing meninges where meningioma begins 
Meninges

Meningiomas occur in the cells that make up the meninges — the membranes that surround your brain and spinal cord, forming a protective barrier. It isn't clear what causes a meningioma to form.

Doctors know that something alters some cells in your meninges to make them multiply out of control, leading to a meningioma tumor. But whether this occurs because of genes you inherit, things you're exposed to in your environment or a combination of both remains unknown.

References
  1. Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2008:1109.
  2. Marosi C, et al. Meningioma. Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology. 2008;67:153.
  3. Asthagiri AR, et al. Current concepts in management of meningiomas and schwannomas. Neurologic Clinics. 2007;25:1209.
  4. Meningioma. Cancer.Net. http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Meningioma. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
  5. Armstrong TS, et al. Use of complementary and alternative medical therapy by patients with primary brain tumors. Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports. 2008;8:264.

DS00901

March 25, 2009

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