Pathogenesis of peri-tumoral edema in intracranial meningiomas.

Peri-tumoral edema in intracranial meningiomas occurs frequently and obviously impacts the morbidity and mortality of these predominantly benign neoplasms. Several causative factors (age, gender, volume, location…) have been unsuccessfully investigated. Despite recent progresses in metabolic imaging and molecular biology, the pathogenesis of peri-tumoral edema remains debated. Hypotheses include vascular endothelial growth factor, metalloproteinases and interleukins among many others. It is probable that this pathogenesis encompasses all these factors with different levels. The current review aims to shed the light on the investigated factors involved in the pathogenesis of peri-tumoral edema in meningiomas and identify the potential therapeutic targets.