Schwannomas of Brain and Spinal Cord

Adv Exp Med Biol. 2023;1405:331-362. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-23705-8_12.ABSTRACTSchwannomas are benign tumors originating from the Schwann cells of cranial or spinal nerves. The most common cranial schwannomas originate from the eight cranial nervevestibular schwannomas (VS). VS account for 6-8% of all intracranial tumors, 25-33% of the tumors localized in the posterior cranial fossa, and 80-94% of the tumors in the cerebellopontine angle (CPA). Schwannomas of other cranial nerves/trigeminal, facial, and schwannomas of the lower cranial nerves/are much less frequent. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), intracranial and intraspinal schwannomas are classified as Grade I. Some VS are found incidentally, but most present with hearing loss (95%), tinnitus (63%), disequilibrium (61%), or headache (32%). The neurological symptoms of VSs are mainly due to compression on the surrounding structures, such as the cranial nerves and vessels, or the brainstem. The gold standard for the imaging diagnosis of VS is MRI scan. The optimal management of VSs remains controversial. There are three main management options-conservative treatment or "watch-and-wait" policy, surgical treatment, and radiotherapy in all its variations. Currently, surgery of VS is not merely a life-saving procedure. The functional outcome of surgery and the quality of life become issues of major importance. The most appropriate surgical approach for each patient should be considered according to some criteri...
Source: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology - Category: Research Authors: Source Type: research