Meningiomas account for approximately one-third of primary central nervous system tumors with a subset that are aggressive and carry significant morbidity and mortality. Treatment of these high-grade meningiomas, classified by the World Health Organization as grade II (atypical) and grade III (anaplastic) meningiomas, typically includes the combination of surgery and radiotherapy. However, current data guiding the timing, dosage, and modality of radiation treatment (RT) has been limited to case series and retrospective studies. Nevertheless, most studies support that radiation therapy reduces recurrence risk and improves overall survival (OS) for patients with high-grade meningiomas. In this review, we examine the evidence for radiation therapy in the management of patients with atypical and anaplastic meningiomas and discuss current ongoing prospective trials that will further elucidate the optimal role of radiotherapy in the treatment of these aggressive tumors.
Keywords: Atypical meningioma; anaplastic meningioma; proton therapy; radiation; stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS).