Sex Differences in Vestibular Schwannoma

Area of Science:

• Neuro-oncology
• Quality of Life Research
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Vestibular schwannoma (VS) affects men and women equally, with existing research focusing on incidence and tumor characteristics.
• Data on sex-specific quality of life (QoL) impacts, both pre- and post-treatment, for VS patients remain scarce.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and delineate sex-specific differences in health-related quality of life (QoL) among patients with unilateral sporadic vestibular schwannoma (VS).

Main Methods:

• Utilized general (SF-36), disease-specific (PANQOL), and symptom-specific (DHI, HHI, THI, FDI) QoL questionnaires for 260 VS patients.
• Conducted pre- and postoperative multi- and univariate analyses to evaluate sex differences in QoL outcomes.

Main Results:

• Female patients reported higher preoperative levels of dizziness, headaches, reduced energy, and anxiety.
• Postoperative changes in energy and balance were similar across sexes, but women experienced more facial palsy and headaches.
• Despite greater initial physical impairment, female patients showed equivalent or greater improvement in general health compared to males.

Conclusions:

• Sex and surgical intervention significantly influence self-rated QoL in vestibular schwannoma patients.
• These sex-specific QoL considerations are crucial for patient counseling regarding VS management options like observation, radiotherapy, and surgery.