A risk factor enhances the likelihood of a person having a tumor. Although risk factors frequently influence tumor development and maturity, most do not directly cause cancer. Some people, irrespective of having adequate risk factors for meningioma never diagnose themselves. However, others who have no known risk factors do. Understanding your risk factors and discussing them with your medical practitioner can help you lead a better lifestyle and make good health care decisions.
The risk factors for meningioma include:
- Age – A meningioma is one of the most frequent tumors in those over 65, but it can occur at any age. Meningioma is very uncommon in children.
- Gender – Non Cancerous meningioma affects women roughly twice as often as men. However, possibilities of men and women, having a positive diagnosis for malignant meningioma are to the same degree.
- Radiation exposure – Radiation to the head may increase the likelihood of getting melanoma. Accidental radiation exposure and radiation therapy as a treatment for ringworm on the scalp, known as tinea capitis, are two familiar radiation sources that can induce meningioma.
- Genetic disorders – Meningioma is more common in people with inherited syndrome neurofibromatosis type 2, also known as NF2. People who develop NF2 are also more prone to develop malignant meningioma or multiple meningiomas.
- Race/ethnicity – Meningioma is more common in black people than in white people in the United States of America. Meningioma is more familiar in Africa than in the United States of America or in parts of Europe.
A history of exposure to ionizing radiation:
Ionising radiation, occurs when the delivery of radiation therapy is to the head or neck. However, several studies have found that it increases a person’s risk of developing brain tumours such as meningiomas.
Having gone through hormone replacement therapy, Certain hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone, and androgen, will develop the disease. Most meningiomas have receptors for either estrogen, progesterone or both on the surfaces of their cells; these tumors also tend to mature and develop more quickly in pregnant women whose bodies naturally give rise to high levels of these hormones. Hormone replacement therapy provides an artificial dose of hormones. However, it increases a person’s risk of developing meningioma to some degree.
Neurofibromatosis is type 2 is a rare genetic disorder known to activate patience to certain benign tumors of the central nervous system, including meningiomas.
Other risk factors connected with meningioma are head trauma, regular, long-term cell phone use, previous epilepsy, regular lead exposure, and smoking. Being over 60 is also considered a risk factor, although lesser than other meningioma risk factors.
