Acoustic Neuroma (Vestibular Schwannoma) Treatment

Memorial Sloan Kettering’s acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma) specialists use information gathered when diagnosing the tumor to build a treatment plan customized to your unique needs. Our team takes into account a variety of factors when coming up with your plan, including:

• the size of the tumor
• the location of the tumor
• whether the tumor is affecting important structures nearby
• how severe your symptoms are
• your age
• the condition of your general health

When you first come to our clinic, you may see several members of the treatment team, either individually or in a group, often all on the same day. Our specialists hold regular team meetings to review treatment plans for patients and determine the best way to help people who have more complicated tumors. This approach gives you the most sophisticated care available for acoustic neuroma today.

Depending on your situation, we may recommend a period of observation, surgery, or radiation therapy.

Observation Period for Acoustic Neuroma

Sometimes, we don’t recommend that people get treatment for acoustic neuroma right away. Instead, we recommend that you start a plan of regular visits with us. This usually involves getting periodic MRI scans to monitor the tumor. If the acoustic neuroma changes in size or your symptoms get worse, we may talk to you about undergoing surgery or starting radiation therapy.