Aspirin intake correlates with halted growth of sporadic vestibular schwannoma in vivo

Abstract

Objective: Given the presence of a pathological immune response in sporadic vestibular schwannoma (sVS), this study aims to explore the roles of aspirin in minimizing sVS growth in vivo.

Study design: Retrospective case review.

Setting: Tertiary care hospital.

Patients: People diagnosed with sVS and followed at a tertiary referral center by serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for at least 4 months within the period of January 1980 through April 2012.

Main outcome measures: Patient use of aspirin and sVS growth rate measured by changes in the largest tumor dimension as noted on serial MRIs

Results: Within a set of 689 cases, 347 were followed by serial MRI scans (50.3%); of the latter, 81 took aspirin, of which, 33 demonstrated sVS growth, and 48 did not. Of the 266 nonaspirin users, 154 demonstrated sVS growth, and 112 did not. A significant inverse association was found among aspirin users and sVS growth (odds ratio [OR]: 0.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.29-0.85), which was not confounded by age or sex.

Conclusion: Our results suggest a potential therapeutic role of aspirin in inhibiting sVS growth.