CyberKnife Radiotherapy for the Treatment of Schwannomas: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Historically, the management of schwannomas has relied primarily on observation, surgery, or conventional radiotherapy techniques. However, while surgery is curative, it carries significant risks-including postoperative complications, neurological deficits, and substantial morbidity-particularly for intracranial schwannomas located near critical neurovascular structures. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has emerged as a less invasive alternative, offering remarkable precision in targeting tumor tissue while sparing adjacent healthy structures. This technique employs high doses of radiation focused precisely on the tumor, thereby controlling tumor growth with minimal morbidity. Several studies have demonstrated that SRS is particularly effective for small- to medium-sized schwannomas, yielding high tumor control rates (exceeding 90% at 5 years) while preserving neurological function. Despite this, the natural history, clinical data, and post-treatment outcomes associated with schwannomas remain incompletely understood or not fully elucidated in scientific literature.

Inclusion Criteria: * ≥ 18 years old * Patients with a confirmed histopathological diagnosis of vestibular schwannoma * Patients who received stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for schwannoma * Patients with available data on clinical and radiological outcomes Exclusion Criteria: * Patients who received other forms of radiotherapy, surgery, or experimental treatments for the schwannoma prior to stereotactic radiotherapy * Medical records that are incomplete