CyberKnife Radiotherapy for the Treatment of Schwannomas: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Schwannomas are benign tumors arising from Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system; the most common type is the vestibular schwannoma (also known as an acoustic neuroma). Although these tumors are non-malignant, their location-particularly on cranial or spinal nerves-can lead to serious complications such as hearing loss, balance disorders, and neurological dysfunction. Treatment aims to prevent tumor growth and preserve neurological function.

The natural history, clinical data, and post-treatment outcomes of schwannomas remain incomplete or not fully elucidated.

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has emerged as a less invasive alternative, offering remarkable precision in targeting tumor tissue while sparing adjacent healthy structures. This technique employs high doses of radiation focused precisely on the tumor, thereby controlling tumor growth with minimal morbidity. Several studies have demonstrated that SRS is particularly effective for small- to medium-sized schwannomas, yielding high tumor control rates (exceeding 90% at 5 years) while preserving neurological function. Despite this, the natural history, clinical data, and post-treatment outcomes associated with schwannomas remain incompletely understood or not fully elucidated in scientific literature.

Real-world data enables a better understanding of diseases, the optimization of care pathways, and the acceleration of the development of new treatments or personalized diagnostics.

Inclusion criteria

• ≥ 18 years old
• Patients with a confirmed histopathological diagnosis of vestibular schwannoma
• Patients who received stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for schwannoma
• Patients with available data on clinical and radiological outcomes

Exclusion criteria

• Patients who received other forms of radiotherapy, surgery, or experimental treatments for the schwannoma prior to stereotactic radiotherapy
• Medical records that are incomplete