Pcon,
One thing I've found to be true. Doctors will try to sell what they do. In my opinion You need to research the different ways of treatment yourself. Find what you are comfortable with. Then talk over the options with a radial oncologist. I think they are more versital in the treatments that are out there.
With surgery there are more chances of damage. Now that depends on the doctor too. The tumor is very sticky around the nerve where it begins to grow. The nerve has a sheth around it. That's where the cells DNA change and the tumor begins to grow. The nerve it self does not change. When the doctors pull on the tumor to remove it...That's where the damage can come from. Like I said before this depends on the doctor and his knowlege of this type of tumor.
Then you have radiation in the form of gamma knife, cyberknife and IMRT. These are all radiation beams that go thru the brain to the tumor. Each one deposits different levels of greys ( radiation ) to the tumor and the surounding area. Depending on where the tumor is and how close it is to the brain stem, makes all the difference on which treatment of radiation you use. Cyber knife is the newest.
I hope this helps. Learn what it's all about. It's your body and it's your time.
Mary
