What is the best treatment for acoustic neuroma?

Acoustic Neuroma Treatment

• Surgery to remove the tumor. This is a highly effective treatment for acoustic neuromas.
• Stereotactic radiosurgery. This form of radiation therapy delivers precisely targeted radiation to the tumor while avoiding the surrounding healthy tissue.
• Observation.

Is vestibular schwannoma a brain tumor?

An acoustic neuroma is a type of non-cancerous (benign) brain tumour. It’s also known as a vestibular schwannoma. A benign brain tumour is a growth in the brain that usually grows slowly over many years and does not spread to other parts of the body.

How is a vestibular schwannoma removed?

There are three options for managing a vestibular schwannoma: (1) surgical removal, (2) radiation, and (3) observation. Sometimes, the tumor is surgically removed (excised). The exact type of operation done depends on the size of the tumor and the level of hearing in the affected ear.

What nerves are affected by vestibular schwannoma?

An acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma) is a benign tumor that develops on the balance (vestibular) and hearing, or auditory (cochlear) nerves leading from your inner ear to the brain, as shown in the top image. The pressure on the nerve from the tumor may cause hearing loss and imbalance.

What happens if acoustic neuroma goes untreated?

Left untreated, an acoustic neuroma can block the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and cause hydrocephalus, which can in turn lead to severe vision problems and difficulty breathing and swallowing. Fortunately, most patients seek treatment long before an acoustic neuroma reaches this stage.

Can acoustic neuroma go away?

The average growth rate of this type of tumor is 1 to 2 millimeters each year, but it can vary, with periods or more or less growth. Watchful waiting can continue for years, and some people may never require treatment. Rarely, an acoustic neuroma may shrink on its own.

What causes an acoustic neuroma to grow?

Cause of Acoustic Neuroma For most acoustic neuromas, the cause at the cellular level is the failure of a “governor” gene to suppress the growth of Schwann cells—those cells responsible for coating nerve fibers with insulation. Without suppression, these cells grow like a wart to produce the neuroma.