Risk Factors and Prevention

A risk factor is anything that increases a person’s chance of developing cancer tumor. Some risk factors can be controlled, such as smoking, and some cannot be controlled, such as age and family history. Although risk factors can influence the development of cancer, most do not directly cause a tumor. Some people with several risk factors never develop tumors, while others with no known risk factors do. However, knowing your risk factors and communicating them to your doctor can help you make more informed lifestyle and health-care choices.

The risk factors for meningioma include:

Age. Adults between 30 and 70 are most likely to be diagnosed with meningioma. Children rarely develop meningioma.

Gender. Women are more than twice as likely as men to develop meningioma; however, men are three times as likely as women to be diagnosed with malignant meningioma.

Radiation exposure. High-dose radiation to the head may increase a person’s risk of developing meningioma. Also, low-dose radiation in the treatment of tinea capitis (ringworm of the scalp) may increase a person’s risk of developing meningioma decades after treatment.

Genetic disorders. People with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) are at higher risk for developing meningioma. People with NF2 are also more likely to develop malignant or multiple meningioma.

Ethnicity. In the United States, black people have higher rates of meningioma than white people. Meningioma is more common in Africa than in North America or Europe.