Can you request surgery?

Posted by lsme1999 @lsme1999, 6 hours ago

I have a small meningioma. The doctors are agreeing it is not the cause of my symptoms (severe headache, nausea, vision changes, loss of balance, excessive fatigue
The recommendation was to "wait and watch" but I want this removed. Can I request this? Is there a reason they would deny it? TIA!

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Susan, Volunteer Mentor | @grammato3 | 3 hours ago

@lsme1999: I can understand why you've come to Mayo Clinic Connect to inquire about this, and I welcome you here. It can be very concerning - alarming even - to be told you have a meningioma, which is often described as a tumor over a layer of the brain. These are quite different from the more aggressive types of brain tumors that are malignant.

This explains more about meningiomas: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/meningioma/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355648
It does specify that a small meningioma such as yours doesn't require treatment if it is not causing symptoms. In many cases, these meningiomas remain stable, or even shrink.

It is generally not advisable to perform intervention as that could potentially carry more risks than a small meningioma itself. In other words, the risks of performing such treatment could outweigh the benefits of leaving it alone if it's completely asymptomatic - as it appears to be in your case. Should you experience the symptoms you described or if imaging should show significant growth, treatment such as radiation - or Gamma Knife - or surgical resection could then be considered. Your medical provider could provide more detail about these treatments if you're interested in learning about them should the need for intervention arise.

Does this information help explain why an individual with a small meningioma would most likely not be considered as medically necessary for surgery or radiation?