Tumors grew back more often when more was left behind after surgery
Original title: Long-Term Outcomes of Subtotal Resection for Large Vestibular Schwannomas: Results From the Acoustic Neuroma Subtotal Resection Study-Part II- Tumor Regrowth.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
These surgeries are done today, and this study compared how often tumors came back after each one.
The short version
When surgeons left more of a large tumor in place, it was more likely to grow back.
What was studied. Doctors followed 126 people who had surgery for a large acoustic neuroma, also called a vestibular schwannoma. Of these, 35 had the whole tumor taken out, 39 had nearly all of it taken out, and 52 had only part of it taken out.
What they found. The tumor grew back in 22 of the 126 people. It grew back in 27% of people who had part of it taken out, and in 8% of people who had all of it taken out. The more tumor that was left behind, the higher the chance it grew back.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: If you face surgery for a large acoustic neuroma, this is good to talk over with your surgeon. Taking out all or nearly all of the tumor, when it can be done, may lower the chance it comes back. Taking out less may help protect the nerve that moves the face. So there is a tradeoff to weigh.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean taking out part of the tumor is the wrong choice for you. People were not put into groups at random, so other things may explain some of the difference. This part of the study looked only at regrowth, not at how the face nerve did. These surgeries are already in use, so this is not a new treatment. It is not a cure, and it does not say which surgery is best for any one person.
Source: PubMed, September 9, 2026 · Read the original
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