Living with Schwannoma
A tumor of the nerve sheath that is almost always non-cancerous and may cause a lump, pain, or hearing problems.
Understanding Schwannoma
Schwann cells wrap around nerves to protect and support them. Benign schwannomas are almost always non-cancerous but rarely can become cancerous. Symptoms depend on location and size, and sometimes there are none. They usually arise for unknown reasons, but can be linked to genetic disorders such as neurofibromatosis 2 or schwannomatosis.
Signs & symptoms
Symptoms vary from person to person. GARD lists these in its summary and symptom list:
- A lump you can see or feel
- Pain
- Muscle weakness
- Tingling or numbness
- Hearing problems and dizziness
- Facial paralysis
Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.
Diagnosis
- 1Talk with your doctor
Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.
- 2See a specialist
Specialists who may be involved include brain and nervous system specialists and cancer specialists.
- 3Ask which tests can help
Your care team will decide which exams and tests can confirm the diagnosis.
Care & treatment
- Care team
- Brain and nervous system specialists (neurologists); Cancer specialists (oncologists)
- Expert care
- Ask about multidisciplinary care centers for rare conditions
- Treatment
- GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
- Research
- Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.
General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.
Everyday life
Living with a rare condition is easier with support.
- Connect with American Cancer Society
- Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
- Ask about patient registries that help research
- Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Quick facts
Schwannomas usually develop for unknown reasons. In some cases they are caused by a genetic disorder such as NF2, schwannomatosis, or Carney complex.
Also known as: benign neurilemmoma; benign schwannoma; neurilemmoma; neurilemoma; neurinoma; neurolemmoma
Patient organizations
- American Cancer SocietySchwannoma · United States
You are more than your diagnosis
Perspectives from people navigating life with Schwannoma.
Explore research for Schwannoma
Explore actively recruiting Schwannoma studies with HealthSpark.
Find actively recruiting studies for Schwannoma with HealthSpark. Share your city to explore research near you.
- Recruiting studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
- Share your city to look for research near you
- Eligibility is confirmed by the study team
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Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper · Study information from ClinicalTrials.gov · Eligibility is confirmed by the study team.
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