Cerebellopontine angle tumors: diagnostic evaluation and therapeutic options

Abstract

Due to their anatomical location, cerebellopontine angle tumors involve several anatomical structures of vital importance for the functions they perform in our body, including the cranial nerves, mainly the facial and vestibular nerves, in addition to neighboring structures such as the brainstem that contains the centers of breathing and cardiovascular control, this also includes the drainage pathway of cerebrospinal fluid in the fourth ventricle. Based on this, the different histological types with their particular characteristics confer different types of involvement to this site as they grow and invade neighboring structures. This is largely achieved with the radiological findings of studies such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging that guide us in terms of size and organ involvement, in addition to complementary studies that guide how affected the functional structures are, although there are many surgical techniques today; It is important to establish a therapeutic approach in relation to the characteristics of the tumor, as well as the possibilities of complementary treatments according to its histology, such as benign tumors such as schwannoma, lipoma or arachnoid cysts, and malignant tumors such as craniopharyngioma. they can establish aggressive interventional therapies in surgery, adjuvant surgery, radiosurgery, and even in cases of more conservative management with serial follow-up to assess the behavior of the tumor.