Global Incidence of Sporadic Vestibular Schwannoma: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Objective Ubiquitous throughout the literature and during patient counseling, vestibular schwannoma is often quoted to affect about 1 per 100,000 people. Yet, reports from distinct international populations suggest that the incidence is likely much higher. The objective of the current work was to systematically characterize the global incidence of sporadic vestibular schwannoma. Data Sources Scopus, Embase, and PubMed. Review Methods Population-based studies reporting incidence rates of sporadic vestibular schwannoma between January 2010 and August 2020 were searched with language restrictions requiring reports to be published in Chinese, English, German, Italian, or Spanish. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021228208) prior to commencement of data collection. PRISMA guidelines for transparent reporting of systematic reviews were followed. Results Among 424 citations, 6 publications covering 4 distinct populations from Denmark, the Netherlands, Taiwan, and the United States met inclusion criteria. Most recent incidence rates of among all ages ranged between 3.0 and 5.2 per 100,000 person-years. Highest incidence rates were reported among patients aged ≥70 years, peaking at 20.6 per 100,000 person-years. One study from the United States reported the incidence of asymptomatic, incidentally diagnosed tumors at a rate of 1.3 per 100,000 person-years from 2012 to 2016. Conclusions Recent international incidence rates of sporadic vestibular schwannoma exceed the commonly quoted “1 per 100,000” figure by up to 5-fold among all ages and by up to 20-fold among age groups at highest risk. Based on modern incidence rates, the lifetime prevalence of developing sporadic vestibular schwannoma likely exceeds 1 per 500 persons.

Some Rare Neurosurgical Pathologies in a Sub-Saharan Tertiary Hospital

“…This is far less than 8% -9.9% of intracranial tumours reported from other countries [9]. The incidence of VS is currently about 3-5 per 100,000 population for the sporadic variety [10].…”

Quality of life outcomes in acoustic neuroma: systematic review (2000–2021)

“…AN accounts for approximately 6% of all intracranial tumours [2]. Recent incidence rates across ages range between 3.0 and 5.2 per 100,000 person-years, with highest incidence reported in those aged > 70 years (peak 20.6/100,000 person-years) [3]. Treatment options include surgical excision, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT), and conservative management/active surveillance.…”

The Diagnostic Accuracy of Pure-Tone Audiometry Screening Protocols for Vestibular Schwannoma in Patients with Asymmetrical Hearing Loss—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…A retrospective longitudinal study that evaluated the incidence of acoustic neuroma in Iceland for a time frame of 30 years indicated an incidence rate of 1.24/100,000, as well as an ascending trend in the diagnosis of this condition [ 8 ]. At the same time, a recent systematic review that assessed the global incidence of sporadic vestibular schwannoma on four distinct populations from Denmark, the Netherlands, Taiwan, and the United States reported an incidence rate ranging from 3.0 to 5.2 per 100,000 person years, as well as an increased lifetime prevalence of sporadic vestibular schwannoma (>1 per 500 persons) [ 9 ]. Moreover, it appears that the age of the patient at the time of diagnosis of VS has been slowly increasing from 49 years in 1976 to 58 years [ 10 ].…”