title: Intracanalicular vestibular schwannoma--therapeutic options.
abstract: The growth of purely intrameatal vestibular schwannoma (VS) was investigated in a series of 40 patients with 40 unilateral VS in the period 1973 to 1996 (mean 3.6 years). Twenty-seven tumours (67.5%) revealed growth and 13 tumours (32%) had no measurable growth. Four growth patterns were observed: (i) 15 tumours (37.5%) exhibited constant growth; (ii) 13 tumours (32.5%) had no measurable growth; (iii) 8 tumours (20%) revealed growth subsequent to a no-growth period; and (iv) 4 tumours (10%) manifested different growth patterns during the observation period. The mean diameter growth per year was 3.2 mm. The findings of the present study, especially those achieved in groups B (the non-growing tumours) and C (tumour growth subsequent to a silent period), question the reliability of the results achieved by radiosurgery, as no tumour growth may occur with no intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Gentofte University Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thomsen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Charabi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mantoni
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Charabi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018450:Disease Progression; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed