Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T17:15:43.150Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Screening for vestibular schwannoma in the context of an ageing population

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2019

S Basu*
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Gloucester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, UK
R Youngs
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Gloucester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, UK
A Mitchell-Innes
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
*
Author for correspondence: Mr Syamaprasad Basu, 1A Lonsdale Road, Gloucester GL2 0TA, UK E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Objective

To review the literature regarding screening for vestibular schwannoma in the context of demographic changes leading to increasing numbers of elderly patients presenting with asymmetric auditory symptoms.

Methods

A systematic review of the literature was performed, with narrative synthesis and statistical analysis of data where appropriate.

Results

Vestibular schwannomas diagnosed in patients aged over 70 years exhibit slower growth patterns and tend to be of smaller size compared to those tumours in younger age groups. This fact, combined with reduced life expectancy, renders the probability of these tumours in the elderly requiring active treatment with surgery or stereotactic radiotherapy to be extremely low. Vestibular schwannomas in the elderly are much more likely to be managed by serial monitoring with magnetic resonance imaging. The weighted yield of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of vestibular schwannoma in all age groups is 1.18 per cent, with almost 85 scans required to diagnose 1 tumour.

Conclusion

An evidence-based approach to the investigation of asymmetric hearing loss and tinnitus in the elderly patient can be used to formulate guidelines for the rational use of magnetic resonance imaging in this population.

Type
Review Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited, 2019 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Mr S Basu takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

References

1Hentschel, M, Scholte, M, Steen, S, Kunst, H, Rovers, M. The diagnostic accuracy of non-imaging screening protocols for vestibular schwannoma in patients with asymmetrical hearing loss and/or unilateral audiovestibular dysfunction: a diagnostic review and meta-analysis. Clin Otolaryngol 2017;42:815–23Google Scholar
2Caulley, L, Sawada, M, Hinther, K, Ko, YI, Crowther, JA, Kontorinis, G. Geographic distribution of vestibular schwannomas in West Scotland between 2000-2015. PLoS One 2017;12:e0175489Google Scholar
3Pew Research Center. Age breakdown of world population, 1950-2050. In: http://www.pewforum.org/2015/04/02/main-factors-driving-population-growth/pf_15-04-02_ch1graphics_ageworld310px/ [13 June 2018]Google Scholar
4Gal, TJ, Shinn, J, Huang, B. Current epidemiology and management trends in acoustic neuroma. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2010;142:677–81Google Scholar
5Stangerup, SE, Caye-Thomasen, P. Epidemiology and natural history of vestibular schwannomas. Otolaryngol Clin North Am 2012;45:257–68Google Scholar
6Lau, T, Olivera, R, Miller, T Jr, Downes, K, Danner, C, van Loveren, HR et al. Paradoxical trends in the management of vestibular schwannoma in the United States. J Neurosurg 2012;117:514–19Google Scholar
7Kleijwegt, M, Ho, V, Visser, O, Godefroy, W, van der Mey, A. Real incidence of vestibular schwannoma? Estimations from a national registry. Otol Neurotol 2016;37:1411–17Google Scholar
8Stepanidis, K, Kessel, M, Caye-Thomasen, P, Stangerup, SE. Socio-demographic distribution of vestibular schwannomas in Denmark. Acta Otolaryngol 2014;134:551–6Google Scholar
9Carlson, ML, Habermann, EB, Wagie, AE, Driscoll, CL, Van Gompel, JJ, Jacob, JT et al. The changing landscape of vestibular schwannoma management in the United States - a shift toward conservatism. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2015;153:440–6Google Scholar
10Babu, R, Sharma, R, Bagley, JH, Hatef, J, Friedman, AH, Adamson, C. Vestibular schwannomas in the modern era: epidemiology, treatment trends, and disparities in management. J Neurosurg 2013;119:121–30Google Scholar
11Patel, J, Vasan, R, van Loveren, H, Downes, K, Agazzi, S. The changing face of acoustic neuroma management in the USA: analysis of the 1998 and 2008 patient surveys from the Acoustic Neuroma Association. Br J Neurosurg 2014;28:20–4Google Scholar
12Stangerup, SE, Tos, M, Thomsen, J, Caye-Thomasen, P. True incidence of vestibular schwannoma? Neurosurgery 2010;67:1335–40Google Scholar
13Harun, A, Agrawal, Y, Tan, M, Niparko, JK, Francis, HW. Sex and age associations with vestibular schwannoma size and presenting symptoms. Otol Neurotol 2012;33:1604–10Google Scholar
14Foley, RW, Shirazi, S, Maweni, RM, Walsh, K, McConn Walsh, R, Javadpour, M et al. Signs and symptoms of acoustic neuroma at initial presentation: an exploratory analysis. Cureus 2017;9:e1846Google Scholar
15British Acoustic Neuroma Association. About acoustic neuroma. In: https://www.bana-uk.com/resources/about-acoustic-neuroma [9 June 2018]Google Scholar
16Tos, M, Stangerup, SE, Cayé-Thomasen, P, Tos, T, Thomsen, J. What is the real incidence of vestibular schwannoma? Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2004;130:216–20Google Scholar
17Ferri, GG, Modugno, GC, Pirodda, A, Fioravanti, A, Calbucci, F, Ceroni, AR. Conservative management of vestibular schwannomas: an effective strategy. Laryngoscope 2008;118:951–7Google Scholar
18Møller, MN, Hansen, S, Miyazaki, H, Stangerup, SE, Caye-Thomasen, P. Active treatment is not indicated in the majority of patients diagnosed with a vestibular schwannoma: a review on the natural history of hearing and tumor growth. Curr Otorhinolaryngol Rep 2014;2:242–7Google Scholar
19Moffat, DA, Kasbekar, A, Axon, PR, Lloyd, SK. Growth characteristics of vestibular schwannomas. Otol Neurotol 2012;33:1053–8Google Scholar
20Suryanarayanan, R, Ramsden, RT, Saeed, SR, Aggarwal, R, King, AT, Rutherford, SA et al. Vestibular schwannoma: role of conservative management. J Laryngol Otol 2010;124:251–7Google Scholar
21Mackeith, SA, Kerr, RS, Milford, CA. Trends in acoustic neuroma management: a 20-year review of the Oxford Skull Base Clinic. J Neurol Surg B Skull Base 2013;74:194200Google Scholar
22Younes, E, Montava, M, Bachelard-Serra, M, Jaloux, L, Salburgo, F, Lavieille, JP. Intracanalicular vestibular schwannomas: initial clinical manifestation, imaging classification, and risk stratification for management proposal. Otol Neurotol 2017;38:1345–50Google Scholar
23Martin, TP, Senthil, L, Chavda, SV, Walsh, R, Irving, RM. A protocol for the conservative management of vestibular schwannomas. Otol Neurotol 2009;30:381–5Google Scholar
24Escorihuela-García, V, Llópez-Carratalá, I, Orts-Alborch, M, Marco-Algarra, J. Clinical and radiological evolution of a group of untreated acoustic neuromas [in Spanish]. Acta Otorrinolaringol Esp 2014;65:219–24Google Scholar
25Fayad, JN, Semaan, MT, Lin, J, Berliner, KI, Brackmann, DE. Conservative management of vestibular schwannoma: expectations based on the length of the observation period. Otol Neurotol 2014;35:1258–65Google Scholar
26Reddy, CE, Lewis-Jones, HG, Javadpour, M, Ryland, I, Lesser, TH. Conservative management of vestibular schwannomas of 15 to 31 mm intracranial diameter. J Laryngol Otol 2014;128:752–8Google Scholar
27Hajioff, D, Raut, VV, Walsh, RM, Bath, AP, Bance, ML, Guha, A et al. Conservative management of vestibular schwannomas: third review of a 10-year prospective study. Clin Otolaryngol 2008;33:255–9Google Scholar
28Oddon, PA, Montava, M, Salburgo, F, Collin, M, Vercasson, C, Lavieille, JP. Conservative treatment of vestibular schwannoma: growth and Penn Acoustic Neuroma Quality of Life scale in French language. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital 2017;37:320–7Google Scholar
29Hughes, M, Skilbeck, C, Saeed, S, Bradford, R. Expectant management of vestibular schwannoma: a retrospective multivariate analysis of tumor growth and outcome. Skull Base 2011;21:295302Google Scholar
30Lee, JD, Park, MK, Kim, JS, Cho, YS. The factors associated with tumor stability observed with conservative management of intracanalicular vestibular schwannoma. Otol Neurotol 2014;35:918–21Google Scholar
31Whitehouse, K, Foroughi, M, Shone, G, Hatfield, R. Vestibular schwannomas – when should conservative management be reconsidered? Br J Neurosurg 2010;24:185–90Google Scholar
32Régis, J, Carron, R, Park, MC, Soumare, O, Delsanti, C, Thomassin, JM et al. Wait-and-see strategy compared with proactive Gamma Knife surgery in patients with intracanalicular vestibular schwannomas. J Neurosurg 2010;113(suppl):105–11Google Scholar
33Kirchmann, M, Karnov, K, Hansen, S, Dethloff, T, Stangerup, SE, Caye-Thomasen, P. Ten-year follow-up on tumor growth and hearing in patients observed with an intracanalicular vestibular schwannoma. Neurosurgery 2017;80:4956Google Scholar
34Varughese, JK, Breivik, CN, Wentzel-Larsen, T, Lund-Johansen, M. Growth of untreated vestibular schwannoma: a prospective study. J Neurosurg 2012;116:706–12Google Scholar
35Bakkouri, WE, Kania, RE, Guichard, JP, Lot, G, Herman, P, Huy, PT. Conservative management of 386 cases of unilateral vestibular schwannoma: tumor growth and consequences for treatment. J Neurosurg 2009;110:662–9Google Scholar
36Ferri, GG, Pirodda, A, Ceroni, AR, Fioravanti, A, Calbucci, F, Modugno, GC. Management of growing vestibular schwannomas. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2013;270:2013–19Google Scholar
37Agrawal, Y, Clark, JH, Limb, CJ, Niparko, JK, Francis, HW. Predictors of vestibular schwannoma growth and clinical implications. Otol Neurotol 2010;31:807–12Google Scholar
38Eljamel, S, Hussain, M, Eljamel, MS. Should initial surveillance of vestibular schwannoma be abandoned? Skull Base 2011;21:5964Google Scholar
39Daultrey, CR, Rainsbury, JW, Irving, RM. Size as a risk factor for growth in conservatively managed vestibular schwannomas: the Birmingham experience. Otolaryngol Clin North Am 2016;49:1291–5Google Scholar
40Klersy, PC, Arlt, F, Hofer, M, Meixensberger, J. Quality of life in patients with unilateral vestibular schwannoma on wait and see - strategy. Neurol Res 2018;40:3440Google Scholar
41Nikolopoulos, TP, Fortnum, H, O'Donoghue, G, Baguley, D. Acoustic neuroma growth: a systematic review of the evidence. Otol Neurotol 2010;31:478–85Google Scholar
42Paldor, I, Chen, AS, Kaye, AH. Growth rate of vestibular schwannoma. J Clin Neurosci 2016;32:18Google Scholar
43Smouha, EE, Yoo, M, Mohr, K, Davis, RP. Conservative management of acoustic neuroma: a meta-analysis and proposed treatment algorithm. Laryngoscope 2005;115:450–4Google Scholar
44Yamakami, I, Uchino, Y, Kobayashi, E, Yamaura, A. Conservative management, gamma-knife radiosurgery, and microsurgery for acoustic neurinomas: a systematic review of outcome and risk of three therapeutic options. Neurol Res 2003;25:682–90Google Scholar
45Yoshimoto, Y. Systematic review of the natural history of vestibular schwannoma. J Neurosurg 2005;103:5963Google Scholar
46Wilson, YL, Gandolfi, MM, Ahn, IE, Yu, G, Huang, TC, Kim, AH. Cost analysis of asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss investigations. Laryngoscope 2010;120:1832–6Google Scholar
47Pan, P, Huang, J, Morioka, C, Hathout, G, El-Saden, SM. Cost analysis of vestibular schwannoma screening with contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in patients with asymmetrical hearing loss. J Laryngol Otol 2016;130:21–4Google Scholar
48Choi, KJ, Sajisevi, MB, Kahmke, RR, Kaylie, DM. Incidence of retrocochlear pathology found on MRI in patients with non-pulsatile tinnitus. Otol Neurotol 2015;36:1730–4Google Scholar
49Newton, JR, Shakeel, M, Flatman, S, Beattie, C, Ram, B. Magnetic resonance imaging screening in acoustic neuroma. Am J Otolaryngol 2010;31:217–20Google Scholar
50Suzuki, M, Hashimoto, S, Kano, S, Okitsu, T. Prevalence of acoustic neuroma associated with each configuration of pure tone audiogram in patients with asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2010;119:615–18Google Scholar
51Egan, CR. Asymmetric hearing loss stratification and vestibular schwannoma risk: a meta-analysis. In: https://hdl.handle.net/2144/16052 [26 June 2018]Google Scholar
52Sweeney, AD, Carlson, ML, Shepard, NT, McCracken, DJ, Vivas, EX, Neff, BA et al. Congress of Neurological Surgeons systematic review and evidence-based guidelines on otologic and audiologic screening for patients with vestibular schwannomas. Neurosurgery 2018;82:E2931Google Scholar
53Amiraraghi, N, Lim, S, Kontorinis, G. Findings on 7000 magnetic resonance scans of the internal auditory meatus: to scan or not to scan? J Laryngol Otol 2016;130:S82Google Scholar
54Aaron, KA, Gildener-Leapman, N, Trivedi, S, Reinstadler, DR, Zimmerman, SD, Casazza, GC et al. Cost effectiveness of vestibular schwannoma screening. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2015;153:96Google Scholar
55Pena, I, Chew, EY, Landau, BP, Breen, JT, Zevallos, JP, Vrabec, JT. Diagnostic criteria for detection of vestibular schwannomas in the VA population. Otol Neurotol 2016;37:1510–15Google Scholar
56Rajeev, M, Babur, S, Karakitsou, M, Mehta, S. Audit of magnetic resonance imaging for vestibular schwannoma. Clin Otolaryngol 2012;37:63Google Scholar
57Hoekstra, CE, Prijs, VF, van Zanten, GA. Diagnostic yield of a routine magnetic resonance imaging in tinnitus and clinical relevance of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery loops. Otol Neurotol 2015;36:5965Google Scholar
58Carlson, ML, Lees, KA, Patel, NS, Loshe, CM, Neff, BA, Link, MJ et al. The clinical behaviour of asymptomatic, incidental vestibular schwannomas is similar to that of symptomatic tumours. Otol Neurotol 2016;37:1435–41Google Scholar
59Broomfield, SJ, O'Donoghue, GM. Self-reported symptoms and patient experience: a British Acoustic Neuroma Association survey. Br J Neurosurg 2016;30:294301Google Scholar
60Armstrong, R. Find out how much you cost the NHS. In: http://digitalhealthage.com/find-much-cost-nhs/ [17 July 2018]Google Scholar
61Carlson, ML, Tveiten, OV, Driscoll, CL, Goplen, FK, Neff, BA, Pollock, BE et al. Long-term quality of life in patients with vestibular schwannoma: an international multicenter cross-sectional study comparing microsurgery, stereotactic radiosurgery, observation, and nontumor controls. J Neurosurg 2015;122:833–42Google Scholar
62Stangerup, S-E, Caye-Thomasen, P, Høstmark, K. Life expectancy after diagnosis of vestibular schwannoma in patients age 70 years or older. J Neurol Surg B 2012;73:A226Google Scholar
63Soulier, G, van Leeuwen, BM, Putter, H, Jansen, JC, Malessy, MJA, van Benthem, PPG et al. Quality of life in 807 patients with vestibular schwannoma: comparing treatment modalities. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2017;157:92–8Google Scholar
64Vernooji, MW, Ikram, MA, Tanghe, HL, Vincent, A, Hofman, A, Krestin, GP et al. Incidental findings on brain MRI in the general population. N Engl J Med 2007;357:1281–8Google Scholar