Precision Over Aggression: Evolving Strategies for Skull Base Tumor Treatment

For benign skull base tumors, the goal is increasingly durable tumor control with functional preservation over maximal resection.

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Skull base tumor management increasingly prioritizes durable tumor control and preservation of neurologic function over maximal resection.
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At Keck Medicine, a multidisciplinary team reviews cases and recommends individualized treatment strategies, with patients making the final decision.
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For vestibular schwannoma, less aggressive dissection may preserve immediate facial nerve function, while stereotactic radiosurgery can treat residual or recurrent tumor.
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Long-term results from a 2026 study found no independent association between extent of resection and facial nerve outcomes, while larger residual tumors carried greater regrowth risk.
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Investigational intraoperative optical coherence tomography may help visualize inner-ear structures, cranial nerves, and blood vessels relevant to vestibular function and hearing preservation.

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