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. 2008 Jul;122(7):673-81.
doi: 10.1017/S0022215107001077. Epub 2007 Dec 19.

Change in hearing during 'wait and scan' management of patients with vestibular schwannoma

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Change in hearing during 'wait and scan' management of patients with vestibular schwannoma

S-E Stangerup et al. J Laryngol Otol. 2008 Jul.

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate hearing changes during 'wait and scan' management of patients with vestibular schwannoma.

Subjects: Over a 10-year period, 636 patients have prospectively been allocated to 'wait and scan' management, with annual magnetic resonance scanning and audiological examination.

Results: At the time of diagnosis, 334 patients (53 per cent) had good hearing and speech discrimination of better than 70 per cent; at the end of the 10-year observation period, this latter percentage was 31 per cent. In 17 per cent of the patients, speech discrimination at diagnosis was 100 per cent; of these, 88 per cent still had good hearing at the end of the observation period. However, in patients with even a small initial speech discrimination loss, only 55 per cent maintained good hearing at the end of the observation period.

Conclusion: After comparing the hearing results of hearing preservation surgery and of radiation therapy with those of 'wait and scan' management, it appears that, in vestibular schwannoma patients with a small tumour and normal speech discrimination, the main indication for active treatment should be established tumour growth.

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