Watching a Meningioma Brain Tumor

I was diagnosed last Sept with a 2 cm meningioma and on the wait and watch path. It was a scary plan at first but I went and got two more opinions. One more neurosurgeon and one neurologist. Basically they said the same thing that many people have them and don’t ever know. My tumor is just left of center against the main center vein about two inches from the front. The risk of surgery out weighs the risk of wait and watch. Meanwhile no serious symptoms. I get how stressful it can be having something in your head that doesn’t belong. I have done some of my own research and trust what the doctors are saying. I have my moments like tonight where it comes to mind and I can’t sleep but most of the time I just live my life like it’s not there. My third MRI is this May. I hope you gain some peace about it. This blog helps and so does my faith. Thoughts and prayers.

It’s very helpful reading all your responses to a mengioma diagnosis. I am 60 years old and just found out about my own diagnosis after suffering a concussion. The doctor recommended CT scan at which time they discovered the meningioma. The doctor recommended an MRI to see the exact size and location so I’m waiting to proceed with that. I’m fairly certain I will have a “watch and wait” approach and I think I’m fine with that.

Hello everyone, They found a heterogeneous en plaque meningioma above the ethmoid sinus in 2024 via sinus CT scan from a referral ENT in Aug. ( which ended up being a pre-surgery! without my consent-6x more radiation:( I didn’t want to go back to this ENT.
Then first head and brain MRI in Oct. 2024. I haven’t had a biopsy and the Neurosurgeon didn’t suggested, but insinuated it. If they are going to cut my melon ( skull- even with a minimal hole, why didn’t they remove it when it was smaller😪)?
I haven’t been told how close this tumour is from sinus veins, I asked the Neurosurgeon and he said no… I still don’t understand location fully…
Due to suspected nasal allergies nasal drip, the Neurosurgeon I was referred to decided to investigate cerebro-spinal fluid leak (CSF), and got a second MRI on Feb.2025. ( Measured 2.7x2.2x1.3cm.) Results were good, no leak. He told me the tumour is considerably calcified and when found incidentally it measured on the first MRI 2.5x2.5x1.2cm. up to date ( third MRI was in Nov. 2025 the tumour has grown to 2.8x2.8x1.5cm. and because of the location ( skull based, extra-axial, left anterior cranial fossa ( left frontal lobe by the skull base) and with mass effect ( pressure) on regional sulci ( brain hemispheres midline ) and small indentation in falx cerebri ( a slight midline shift); my sense of smell has been reduced and it is worsening and also my sense of taste😪
I am in Canada and not sure if this tumour is operable or not, my guess is that it is an olfactory groove subtype meningioma and since there is hyperostosis ( bony growth) on the ethmoid bone ( due to its calcification); they would possibly need to remove all bone surrounded by the tumour.
I was just referred to an ENT ( Feb.2026) and he is also a skull base tumour surgeon to check my nose with endoscopic examination and he referred me to another ENT surgeon part of the skull base program for brain tumors to get a smell test.
He said that at this point, if they would do surgery ( either frontal craniotomy with a flap) or bi-frontal they will have to literally cut and destroy my olfactory nerves to be able to remove all of the tumour ( soft and calcified cells) and that not doing surgery could be safer for me to try to find out how much sense of smell I have lost.
He said that sense of smell is important yes, but if they would do surgery to remove the tumour, I could end up with a myriad of complications, plus a total loss of smell as they would have to cut my olfactory nerves to access the tumour…😪
This ENT gave me nasal steroid spray prescription to use ( which my endoscopic examination was normal, airways open, no polyps, no mucus build up but only a very minimal inflammation; (which I have a big dog inside and I’m very allergic to cats)
He told me that the spray was to supposedly rule out that my loss of smell was due to the allergies I suffer ( which they are very minimal-only sneezing and post-nasal drip) but I have never been tested for which exact allergies I’m allergic to)
The ENT said it is important to check this, because they could not be the olfactory nerve deterioration or tumour pushing. I am not a meds person and prefer to wait to leave my nose as is until they test my sense of smell; because otherwise with the spray ( which I also think it was a very high dosage with 6 refills-literally a 3 months prescription daily 2 sprays of 50mcg in each nostril 2x a day total of 400mcg. of nasonex ( mometasone) which contains citric acid and I told the nurse I was very allergic to. In the past, the other ENT prescribed something with lactose, and the pharmacy switched this to flonase ( fluticasone) but I didn’t want to use it for 10 days, let alone for 3 months…Because my nose wasn’t stuffed then either.
What do you think? Shall I wait until I have the smell test and not use anything? I will be willing to try saline nasal rinses, but my nose is not dry or stuffed.
I also researched that vasodilators ( as in freezing meds injection from a dentist) are both good for a person with mass effect meningioma because it could provoke a blood clot, or lack of blood circulation in the brain vessels.
Needless to say, I am very careful of what I take since the meningioma diagnosis ( which only the radiologist suggests, might be… and the Neurosurgeon said they treat people, not images (?) I don’t know what he meant?
Even natural or prescribed blood thinners, for high BP or high cholesterol could be dangerous, due to thinning the blood too much and provoking swelling or a brain bleed…
Please help! My choice will be to get an fMRI which will be more accurate with the olfactory nerve testing, than an ENT smell test.
Another question, due to the mass effect and lack of oxygen if I were to travel by plane on a long haul trip, will this be concerning as to cause intracranial pressure?
Thank you so very much in advance. I have an appointment booked with my Neurosurgeon (because I requested it) on March 17, and will ask for specific information, as well as my options. 🙏🏽 My Neurosurgeon put me on the active surveillance and left me in charge of self-reporting symptoms(?) but never said which symptoms. Hugs to everyone who live in the uncertainty.🤗💖
I wish I had finances to let Mayo Neurosurgeons make critical decisions like one comment here😪

@pur1rucha
You have a lot of apparent complications which I am in no way able to comment on.
Nevertheless, I recommend you ask the physician with whom you are most comfortable if he or she can help you make sense of all this and also help make decisions so you believe you are making the best and most informed choices. I wish I could offer better advice. Good luck and Godspeed. Dolly, Nashville, TN