Schwannoma
摘要
Schwannomas, also referred as neuromas, neurinomas, and neurilemmomas are benign, well-encapsulated, and slow-growing nerve sheath tumors composed exclusively of Schwann cells. These tumors can arise from any myelinated central or peripheral nerve containing Schwann cells. The World Health Organization classifies schwannomas as grade I benign tumors. Approximately 90% of schwannomas occur as solitary lesions. When multiple schwannomas are present in a single patient, syndromic associations such as neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), schwannomatosis, and Carney complex should be considered. Management options include observation, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), fractionated radiotherapy (FSRT), and microsurgical excision. This chapter highlights the current evidence on the efficacy and side-effect profiles of each treatment modality. Comparisons between these modalities are limited by the lack of randomized clinical trials, as well as by selection bias and confounding factors in existing studies. Therefore, prospective randomized trials are essential to more accurately determine the relative benefits and limitations of each strategy. This chapter provides an overview of the pathogenesis of schwannomas and emphasizes the role of radiotherapy in their management, with particular focus on vestibular schwannomas.