A retrospective cohort study of stereotactic radiosurgery for vestibular schwannomas: Comparison of two age groups (75 years or older vs. 65-74 years).

BACKGROUND

Treatment outcome data of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for vestibular schwannomas (VS) in patients ≥75 years (late elderly) are lacking. Approximately 39% of patients ≥75 years with VS were reported to experience severe facial palsy after surgical removal. This study compared the treatment outcomes post-SRS for VS between patients ≥75 and 65-74 years (early elderly).

METHODS

Of 453 patients who underwent gamma knife SRS for VS, 156 were ≥65 years old. The late and early elderly groups comprised 35 and 121 patients, respectively. The median tumor volume was 4.4 cc, and the median radiation dose was 12.0 Gy.

RESULTS

The median follow-up periods were 37 and 56 months in the late and early elderly groups, respectively. Tumor volume control was observed in 27 (88%) and 95 (83%) patients ( = 0.78), while additional procedures were required in 2 (6%) and 6 (6%) patients ( = 1.00) in the late and early elderly groups, respectively. At the 60 and 120 months post-SRS, the cumulative tumor control rates were 87%, 75%, 85%, and 73% ( = 0.81), while the cumulative clinical control rates were 93% and 87%, 95%, and 89% ( = 0.80), in the late and early elderly groups, respectively. In the early elderly group, two patients experienced facial pain, and one experienced facial palsy post-SRS; there were no adverse effects in the late elderly group (both = 1.00).

CONCLUSION

SRS is effective for VS and beneficial in patients ≥75 years old as it preserves the facial nerve.