Secretory Meningiomas: Characteristic Features and Clinical Management of a Unique Subgroup

Secretory meningiomas (SM) represent a rare variant of the most common benign intracranial brain tumor. Defined by the histologic appearance of eosinophilic glandular formations and periodic-acidic Schiff-positive pseudopsammoma bodies, SM are characterized by unique molecular alterations, a disproportional occurrence of reactive peritumoral brain edema, and a clinical course that demands for increased awareness for perioperative complications. The frequent presence of extensive peritumoral edema has become a hallmark of SM and can be associated with life-threatening complications. The exact pathophysiology of edema formation in SM is still unknown.