title: Radiation effects on the auditory and vestibular systems.
abstract: Definitive or postoperative radiation therapy (RT) is commonly used for the management of intracranial and extracranial head and neck tumors. Because of the variability of tumor location and dimensions, sparing of nontarget normal tissue and organs may not be possible. Treatment modalities that deliver the highest doses of radiation to the auditory system include stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) for the treatment of vestibular schwannomas (VS), and fractionated radiotherapy (FRT) or intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for the treatment of head and neck malignancies. Radiation therapy for VS is unique because of its involvement of the inner ear and preexisting auditory and vestibular dysfunction. Auditory and vestibular dysfunction following RT for VS may be limited by limiting the total dose of cranial nerve VIII irradiation and by fractionation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Florida College of Medicine, 1600 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
authors.forename: Niranjan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bhandare
authors.forename: William M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Mendenhall
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Antonelli
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011853:Radiobiology; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014717:Vertigo / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects*