To evaluate the effect of active surveillance, radiotherapy and surgery on the vestibular function, vestibular symptoms, and quality of life in unilateral vestibular schwannoma (VS) patients.
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
Findings are not yet detailed enough here to recommend a practice change; clinicians managing vestibular schwannoma patients should monitor the full published results for comparative outcome data before adjusting treatment counseling.
Choosing between surveillance, radiotherapy, and surgery for vestibular schwannoma has long lacked prospective comparative data on balance and quality-of-life outcomes, and this study begins to fill that gap.
- 01Prospective design compares all three main management strategies for unilateral vestibular schwannoma.
- 02Outcomes measured include objective vestibular function tests, patient-reported vestibular symptoms, and quality of life.
- 03Addresses a clinically important gap: most prior evidence on vestibular schwannoma management is retrospective.
- 04Results may influence shared decision-making conversations between clinicians and patients.
- 05Published in a peer-reviewed ENT journal (DOI: 10.1007/s00405-026-10706-x).
Surgery, radiotherapy, and active surveillance have differing effects on objective vestibular function in unilateral vestibular schwannoma patients.
studyunclearQuality of life outcomes differ across the three management strategies for vestibular schwannoma.
studyunclear- PMID
- 42900197
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00405-026-10706-x.
- Journal
- European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 2b
- Population
- Patients with unilateral vestibular schwannoma undergoing active surveillance, radiotherapy, or surgery
- Intervention
- Surgery, radiotherapy, or active surveillance for vestibular schwannoma
- Comparator
- Active surveillance (and cross-comparison between all three arms)
Primary outcomes
Objective vestibular function; Vestibular symptoms; Quality of life