Health‐Related Quality of Life in Patients With a Stable or Growing Vestibular Schwannoma Managed by Wait and Scan or Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Abstract

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the effect of wait and scan (W&S) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) on health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) over time in patients with a stable vestibular schwannoma (VS) and growing VS.Study DesignLongitudinal, multicenter, observational study.SettingTertiary expert center for VS (Radboudumc Nijmegen) and Gamma‐Knife center ETZ Hospital Tilburg.MethodsChanges in HRQoL, measured with the Penn Acoustic Neuroma Quality‐of‐Life (PANQOL), and the physical and mental component summary scores (PCS and MCS, respectively) derived from the 36‐Item Short Form Health Survey (SF‐36), were compared among patients managed by W&S and SRS between 2017 and 2022. Second, HRQoL over time in patients with a growing VS was compared between W&S and SRS.ResultsDifferences in PANQOL total and subdomain scores, PCS and MCS scores over time in the W&S (n = 73) and SRS (n = 170) groups were nonsignificant and on average did not exceed the minimal clinically important differences (mean difference of −2.56 [PANQOL total], 1.22 [PCS], and −1.76 [MCS]; all P > .05). In growing VS, comparison of W&S (n = 29) and SRS (n = 154) also revealed no significant difference (mean difference of 1.19 (PANQOL total), 1.83 (PCS) and −0.12 (MCS); all P > .05).ConclusionDifferences in HRQoL in patients with VS are minor and not significantly different or clinically relevant between patients managed with W&S or SRS. Similarly, patients with a growing VS managed with W&S or SRS exhibit no significant or clinical relevant difference in HRQoL during follow‐up. This can aid clinicians in the counseling of patients regarding HRQoL when deciding on a management strategy after diagnosis or documented growth.