Chemotherapy: present and future.

Vestibular schwannomas (VS) are among the most common benign tumors of the central nervous system. Bilateral VS are the hallmark of neurofibromatosis type II, commonly leading to complete deafness and cranial nerve deficits as a result of tumor progression or treatment with surgery or radiation. Effective medical therapies are needed to address tumor progression and treatment-related morbidity. This article reviews the standard therapies for VS, summarizes the molecular biology of these tumors, and describes potential targets for chemotherapeutic agents. The article also defines and recommends the use of specific clinical end points in future drug trials, describes previous and current experience with anti-VEGF and anti-EGFR agents, and delineates areas of future research.