Following a diagnosis of an acoustic neuroma, the next step is to work with a neurosurgeon to determine a treatment path that is right for you. This will depend on a number of factors, including the size of your acoustic neuroma, the symptoms you are experiencing and your personal health.
To help you better understand your acoustic neuroma treatment options, the following information explains each available treatment, as well as the risks and recovery times for each. However, if your doctor has already recommended an acoustic neuroma treatment option to you, you may wish to consult with him to find out why he has made that recommendation in your specific case.
About Acoustic Neuromas
An acoustic neuroma is a benign tumor that arises from the nerve responsible for hearing and balance. Benign tumors do not spread to other areas of the body, but they can still grow large enough to press on surrounding tissues, necessitating treatment.
Most patients who are diagnosed with acoustic neuromas are 30-60 years old and typically only have a tumor on one side of the brain. Some patients who have a rare inherited disease called neurofibromatosis type 2 may have bilateral acoustic neuromas and major or total hearing loss. However, it is more common for acoustic neuromas to arise as a result of long periods of exposure to loud noise, head and neck radiation or parathyroid tumors.
Treatment Option 1: Observation and Monitoring
Not all patients who have acoustic neuromas will require treatment. In fact, they are often very small and not causing any symptoms and are instead found during diagnostic imaging conducted for other reasons, or incidentally.
If your doctor recommends you undergo observation and monitoring, you can expect to have follow-up visits to assess your symptoms and imaging to look for any tumor growth. Many acoustic neuromas will never grow larger or cause any symptoms, so this acoustic neuroma treatment option eliminates the need for any minimally invasive or surgical treatment.
Potential Risks
The greatest risk of not treating an acoustic neuroma is that it grows larger and may lead to symptoms, including hearing loss. However, hearing loss typically takes place over a period of years, and attending your follow-up visits will give your doctor an opportunity to take note of any change in your symptoms or tumor size.
Recovery Time
Because you are not undergoing a treatment procedure, there is no specific recovery time. However, your doctor will develop a follow-up monitoring schedule to watch for any signs of tumor growth. It is vital you keep up with these visits as set by your doctor to ensure treatment as soon as possible, should your tumor grow larger.
Treatment Option 2: Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Stereotactic radiosurgery is a special form of radiation therapy that allows your doctor to directly target your acoustic neuroma, sparing the surrounding healthy brain tissue. This results in fewer unpleasant side effects than traditional whole brain radiation therapy and can be a great acoustic neuroma treatment option.
Potential Risks
Many patients who undergo any form of radiation therapy experience headaches and fatigue following treatment. However, because of the targeted delivery of radiation directly to the tumor, these side effects are typically less severe than with whole brain radiation therapy.
Recovery Time
Stereotactic radiosurgery is a minimally invasive treatment done in an outpatient setting and does not require any surgery or hospital stay. Many patients only require a single treatment session, though this depends on multiple factors and can vary. Because there are no incisions, there is no recovery in a traditional sense, although it may take a few weeks for the headaches and fatigue to subside.
Treatment Option 3: Surgery
Your doctor may have recommended surgical removal of your acoustic neuroma, particularly if your tumor is large and pressing on the brain stem, as this area of the body only tolerates limited radiation. Acoustic neuroma Surgery may also be the treatment of choice in younger patients.
During surgical acoustic neuroma removal, your doctor may remove all or just part of the tumor. Surgery may be followed by stereotactic radiotherapy in a combination approach to eradicating any tumor cells that may remain following surgery, helping prevent tumor regrowth.
Potential Risks
Any surgical procedure carries certain risks, including infection and pain at the incision site, fatigue and headaches, or a reaction to anesthesia. You may also experience facial muscle weakness and/or numbness following surgical acoustic neuroma removal. Some patients will experience difficulties with balance and coordination or hearing loss. Your doctor can discuss potential risks specific to your individual case in more detail.
Recovery Time
Surgical removal of acoustic neuromas must be done in a hospital while you are under general anesthesia. Most patients spend up to a week recovering in the hospital before returning home. Many patients are able to return to work in 6-12 weeks, but this can vary and your doctor will be able to give you more detail about your personal situation.
The Right Treatment for Your Condition
Now that you have a more in-depth understanding of your acoustic neuroma treatment options, carry this acoustic neuroma knowledge into your next conversation with your doctor. If you are still in the treatment planning process, you can discuss your options at a deeper level. If you already have a treatment scheduled, you likely have a more comprehensive understanding of why your doctor has made certain recommendations.
You may find that you have new questions based on what you have learned. Be sure to discuss them at your next appointment so you can discuss them with your doctor and apply this information to your individual circumstances.
