Meningiomas linked to childhood scalp radiation shrink less after focused radiation
Original title: Stereotactic Radiosurgery Outcomes for Radiation-Induced Meningiomas After Childhood Tinea Capitis Irradiation: A Comparative Study with Sporadic Meningiomas.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
Doctors looked back at people already treated, so this helps with planning rather than offering something new.
The short version
Brain tumors that show up years after childhood scalp radiation may not shrink as much from focused radiation treatment.
What was studied. Doctors looked back at records of 539 people with meningiomas treated with focused radiation, called stereotactic radiosurgery, from 2010-2023. 204 of them had their tumor size measured on MRI scans before treatment and again later.
What they found. 61 of the 204 people had scalp radiation as a child for a scalp fungus called tinea capitis. 73.8% of that group had more than one meningioma. Only 11.9% of the other group did. Their tumors also shrank less after treatment, with a 38.7% worse change in tumor volume.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: If you had scalp radiation as a child, your meningioma may not shrink as much after focused radiation. You may also be more likely to have more than one tumor. Your care team may want to watch you more closely and plan your treatment for your situation.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean focused radiation fails for these tumors. Both groups started with similar tumor sizes. Both groups needed surgery about as often. The study also did not find a difference in how long people went before their tumor grew. This is a look back at past patient records, not a test of a new treatment. It is not a promise of a cure.
Source: PubMed, August 10, 2026 · Read the original
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