Impact of Treatment of Vestibular Schwannoma on Quality of Life
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Impact of Treatment (Conservative Treatment, Radiosurgery, and Microsurgery) of Vestibular Schwannoma on Patients' Quality of Life
IRAS ID
220685
Contact name
Simon Lloyd
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Manchester
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 25 days
Research summary
Vestibular schwannomas (VS) are benign tumours arising from the Schwann cells of the eighth cranial nerve. They account for 6-8% of all tumours within the skull and more than 80% of tumours emerging from the cerebellopontine angle (CPA). Symptoms vary from patient to patient, but many present classically with the triad of one-sided hearing loss, tinnitus and unsteadiness.
Management options for VS currently include watchful waiting, radiosurgery, and microsurgery. Although VS rarely cause patient mortality, symptoms caused by the tumour as well as the treatment options mentioned before can be associated with significant morbidity. It is therefore valuable to elucidate the differences in post-treatment outcomes for the three treatment options presently available.
Previous studies show that most patients who have undergone surgery have poorer quality of life (QOL) post-treatment compared to those managed conservatively. However, few of these studies used validated and/or disease-specific measures, making it difficult to draw meaningful conclusions regarding effects of treatment on QOL. The objective of this study is therefore to examine the differences in QOL before and after treatment for VS patients across the different treatment groups.
We have prospectively collected QoL and audiovestibular handicap data at presentation for all patients presenting with a VS. We do not, however, have follow up data. We therefore intend to post QoL, AV handicap and post-treatment symptom questionnaires to patients who have had treatment. QOL will be measured using the Penn Acoustic Neuroma Quality of Life (PANQOL) scale, developed by the University of Pennsylvania in 2010. It is a validated VS specific QoL tool. We will also use the SF36 QoL tool, the Hearing, Dizziness and Tinnitus handicap inventory, and a post-treatment symptom questionnaire to assess symptom and QOL changes.
REC name
East Midlands - Leicester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/EM/0261
Date of REC Opinion
11 Jul 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion