Tumour Stem Cells in Meningioma: A Review

Authors: Ganeshwaran Shivapathasundram, Agadha C. Wickremesekera, Swee T. Tan and Tinte Itinteang

Journal of Clinical Neuroscience 2018. Volume 47, 66-71 doi:10.1016/j.jocn.2017.10.059

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320859474_Tumour_stem_cells_in_meningioma_A_review

Meningiomas are cancers that occur in the brain and spinal cord. They comprise about 25% of all neurological cancers. Their incidence is around 6 per 100,000 with a slightly higher preponderance in females. While the majority of these cancers are benign, they have a high rate of recurrence especially when the location is at the base of the skull.

The presence of stem cells in meningioma was first reported in 2009 in an aggressive malignant form. This review discusses the identification of a number of stem cell marker proteins in this tumour so as to establish a possible hierarchy of them. However it is apparent that there is relatively little known at this stage about the properties and functions of these cells in meningiomas and that further studies are needed.