Tumor size - growth ?

[MeLen]

I've been curious at how "fast" AN tumors grow.  I've read that they're basically slow growing, but I've seen also that sometimes at MRI diagnosis it's one size, but just a month later they are much, much larger.  Is this common?

Also, my husband's MRI radiologist stated 3.9cm, then at one surgeon's consultation he measured the tumor with his mouse on the screen and said it is more like 3.5cm, and then at another surgeon's consultation he measured and said it's about 3.0cm.  (He also claimed that the others were measuring incorrectly).   I guess they'll never know until they "go in", and it doesn't matter anyway because "it is whatever it is", but I just found that measuring difference interesting. 

MaryEllen

[opp2]

Every surgeon looking at your husband's MRI can measure it from one of 1000 angles, and some doctors measure only the 'body' of the tumour, not the part the extends into the hearing canal. Mine was measured at 2.5-3.0 over the course of the year with 3 different surgeons. I believe it is safe to say that your husbands AN is large, and unfortunately you kids have to make some choices sooner than others. Trust your instincts.

All the best.

Nikki

[TJ]

MaryEllen

An's usually grow at a very slow pace, 1-2 mm per year.  Although you are correct in saying some grow faster than that.  You have to remember that they are measuring in mm which if you look is very very tiny so some doctors may just see it different than others.  It doesn't mean that any one doctor is wrong.  Mine  stayed the same size for about 1 1/2 years then decided to take off an doubled in size in one year.  So each AN is totally different from another.

Do as much research on the type of surgery that you decide on.  Ask the doctors as many questions that you can, how many have they done, results etc.  Make sure you are comfortable with what you decide on.

Best of Luck
TJ

[mk]

Huge discrepancies like that rise depending on whether the portion inside the IAC is taken into account or not. If it is taken into account, it can easily result in one dimension that is 5 mm larger than the rest. There is no consensus on which approach is the "correct" one. The amount that extends in the IAC however does not contribute significantly to the overall volume.
My understanding from this forum is that if you are told measurements that are similar (like for example 2.5x2.4.2.6 cm), the radiologist has only measured the spherical portion outside the canal. If your measurements sound more like 2.5x1.8.1.9, it is likely that this 2.5 dimension includes the IAC portion.


Marianna

[CHD63]

MaryEllen .....

Yes, you are correct that usually ANs are slow growing and yes, different radiologists and doctors can give you different measurements from the same MRI.  I am not a doctor, but from my reading and strictly in my opinion, it is the comparison from one MRI to the next ..... done at the same facility, with the same number of cuts, with the same person interpreting it ..... that matters.  The specific location is also critical on how long a patient should wait before treatment.  Also, the change in symptoms should be closely monitored ..... any significant changes should be reported to your doctor.

I am one of those rare cases where an MRI was done (without contrast, unfortunately) and was "normal" and a year later I had another MRI with contrast that revealed a slightly over 2 cm acoustic neuroma.  My neurosurgeon studied the first one very, very carefully because he said he should be able to see a shadow of one that large, but could not.  I had surgery three weeks after the diagnosing MRI and the AN was measured at 2.6 cm.

Hope that helps.  Clarice

[nftwoed]

Hello;

   Yes, on average the stated 1 to 2 mm. per year. I believe a tendency exists for AN to slow in growth say, after the 4th decade of life. But then, I have read quite rare stories of them doubling in size in a year after a period of being stable!
   Usually, the 3 largest dimensions on a scale ( some scales are right on the film ) are given, and yes, there exist differences among whom interprets. There does exist a 1 - 2 mm. variation in MRI accuracy. Volumetric measurement is most accurate. That is determined by someone treating with radiation in their dose planning.
   A tumor will come out ( often, in pieces ) larger than imaged. Because an imaged tumor is compressed.
   Clarice, I believe the contrast may have been absorbed by more schwann cells than originally observed.
   Be well...

   NFTWOED

[Kathleen_Mc]

The "rule" is SUPPOSED to be 1-2mm per year yet when mine was found the doctor's could understand how someone at age 23 could have grown one so big already. I'm not sure of it's size but it was large and they said even if it had been there at birth from what they know of growth rates of these tumors it shouldn't have been so large.
My "regrowth" did grow at the standard 1-2 mm per year.
Kathleen