Radiation Therapy for Patients With Non-vestibular Cranial Nerve Schwannomas

Background: Due to rare occurrence and high heterogeneity of non-vestibular cranial nerve schwannomas, the literature regarding radiation therapy (RT) is relatively limited. Methods: A literature review. Results: Available data suggested that RT, with or without surgery, led to good tumor control outcomes with relatively low complication rates and constituted an efficient treatment modality for patients with non-vestibular cranial nerve schwannomas. However, owing to the lack of large series and heterogeneous data, it is difficult to recommend a definitive treatment strategy. Treatment detail should be tailored for individual patients. Conclusions: There is growing evidence to support RT in patients with non-vestibular cranial nerve schwannomas. Further investigation is warranted to optimize the RT treatment.