Acoustic neuroma: predominance of Antoni type B cells in tumors of patients with vestibular paresis.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate whether in patients with acoustic neuroma (AN), the presence or absence of vestibular symptoms is related to the histologic characteristics of the tumor.

STUDY

DESIGN

The study design was a retrospective clinical study.

SETTING

The study was conducted at a tertiary referral center.

PATIENTS: A group of eight patients with unilateral AN and normal vestibular function was compared with a group of AN patients, matched for tumor size, with vestibular paresis.

METHODS

The methods were vestibular examination of the patients and morphometric analysis of the histologic specimens of their tumors.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcomes were measured by vestibular function and by the relative quantity of Antoni type A or type B cell tissue.

RESULTS

The tumors of patients with vestibular paresis appeared to contain significantly more Antoni B cells and fewer Antoni A cells than did the tumors of patients with normal vestibular function.

CONCLUSIONS

Besides morphologic differences, type B cells may display a distinct behavior compared with type A cells. Presumably, in AN patients the development of a vestibular paresis appears to be related to the biologic activity of type B cells in the tumor.