Bevacizumab induces regression of vestibular schwannomas in patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 |
| |
| Authors: | Victor-Felix Mautner Rosa Nguyen Hannes Kutta Carsten Fuensterer Carsten Bokemeyer Christian Hagel Reinhard E. Friedrich Jens Panse |
| |
| Affiliation: | Department of Maxillofacial Surgery (V.M., R.N., R.E.F.); Department of Otolaryngology (H.K.); Institute of Neuropathology (C.H.); Department of Oncology/Hematology, Cancer Center (J.P., C.B.); University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; MRI Institute, Hamburg Othmarschen, Germany (C.F.) |
| |
| Abstract: | Bilateral vestibular schwannomas are the hallmark of neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), and these tumors impair hearing and frequently lead to deafness. Neurosurgical intervention, the only established treatment, often damages the vestibular nerve. We report 2 cases in which treatment with bevacizumab (for 3 months in one case and 6 months in the other) induced regression of progressive vestibular schwannomas by more than 40% and substantially improved hearing in the patient treated for 6 months. Bevacizumab therapy may thus provide an effective treatment for progressive vestibular schwannomas in patients with NF2. |
| |
| Keywords: | bevacizumab neurofibromatosis type 2 vestibular schwannoma |
|
|
