Rationale: Meningioma is the most frequently diagnosed brain tumour in the UK. At least 80% of meningiomas are non-malignant. Non-malignant if they tend to be non-fatal and have limited potential to spread to other parts of the body. Doctors will decide whether to remove a non-malignant meningioma based on size, location, and symptoms. Non-malignant meningiomas do not usually reduce life expectancy. But, people diagnosed with these tumours may experience other health problems. For example, they might have side effects from brain surgery or anxiety about a tumor growing back. The long-term health of people with non-malignant meningioma has not been well researched.
Aims: Using UKBiobank and the linked electronic health records of participants, we aim to identify what health conditions (if any) are more common among non-malignant meningioma survivors than in the general population. We will identify what factors contribute to increased risk of these outcomes.
Public health impact: The results will help patients and clinicians know what to expect in the years after diagnosis. If some of the diagnoses that are more common in meningioma survivors are preventable, interventions could be proposed to reduce the chances they occur. Survivors could be provided with targeted screening if they are at higher risk of certain diagnoses. The findings may also give us clues about the causes non-malignant meningioma.
Project duration: 1 year