Audiologic and radiographic response of NF2-related vestibular schwannoma to erlotinib therapy.

BACKGROUND: A 48-year-old man presented to a neurologist with complaints of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The patient was a member of a large family affected by neurofibromatosis type 2 and first noted hearing loss 10 years before presentation. INVESTIGATIONS: Medical and neurological examination, MRI scan of the brain and spinal cord, pure-tone audiometry, NU-6 monosyllabic word test with phoneme scoring, City University of New York topic-related sentences test, noise/voice test of minimal auditory capability battery. DIAGNOSIS: Progressive neurofibromatosis-type-2-related vestibular schwannomas. MANAGEMENT: Annual cranial MRI and audiology, surgical resection of right vestibular schwannoma, high-power behind-the-ear hearing aid, erlotinib therapy for progressive left vestibular schwannoma.