Abstract:

Aim:Treatment options for acoustic neuroma are; microsurgery, stereotactic radiotherapy and the use of these two options together. In this study, after treatment quality of life and changes in the tumor size,hearing level of patientswhom were applied stereotactic radiotherapy due to acoustic neuroma in our clinic were evaluated.. Material and Methods: In our clinic, between September 2009 and May 2016 22 patients who had acoustic neuroma smaller than 3 centimeter were evaluated retrospectively. The patients underwent stereotactic radiotherapy with a dose of 12 Gray. Size was measured before and after treatment with magnetic resonance and hearing level and speech discriminations were calculated with audiogram.Their quality of life was evaluated with SF-36 Quality of Life Assessment Scale after treatment. Results: In both of these patients groups with acoustic neuroma whose tumor is located at only internal auditory canal or at cerebellopontine angle and internal auditory canal; it was showed that stereotactic radiotherapy can cause hearing loss and decrease in speech discrimination scores but this difference is not statistically significant (P>0.05). In recent follow-up magnetic resonance imaging was taken and in 12 of these patients; sizes of the acoustic neuroma was stabil and on the other hand in 2 of the patients there was a progression and in 8 of the patients there was a regression. In the evaluation of Quality of Life Assessment Scale; most decrease was found in vitality scores. Conclusion: Stereotactic radiotherapy can be used with hearing function, changes of tumor size and low morbidity in quality of life in patients with diagnosis of acoustic neuroma under 3 centimeter.

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