Hormone Receptors in Vestibular Schwannomas


Hormone receptors in vestibular schwannomas
The possibility that steroid hormones play a role in vestibular schwannoma proliferation has been suggested by a number of investigators. There is conflicting information about the presence of steroid hormone receptors in these tumors. The aim of this study was to examine the expression of androgen, progesterone, glucocorticoid and estrogen receptor messenger ribonucleic acid levels (mRNA) in twenty-one vestibular schwannomas by either Northern blot analysis or the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Glucocorticoid receptor mRNA was expressed in all twenty-one tumors examined. Only two male specimens were positive for androgen receptor mRNA expression by PCR-Southern blot analysis. Thirty-three percent of the schwannomas (7/21) showed a strong band for progesterone receptor mRNA by PCR-Southern blot analysis; there were an equal number of males and females in this group. Estrogen receptor mRNA levels were undetectable in all tumors examined by PCR-Southern blot analysis. These studies suggest that the pattern of steroid receptor expression is different in schwannomas than in meningiomas. Individual vestibular schwannomas need to be examined for their steroid receptor mRNA expression mRNA expression to know whether they will be responsive.

Carroll RS, Zhang J, Black P McL.  Hormone Receptors in Vestibular Schwannomas .  Acta Neurochir  (Wein) 1997:139:188-193.



Meningioma and schwannoma risk in adults in relation to family history of cancer
Relatively little is known about factors that contribute to the development of meningioma and vestibular schwannoma, two intracranial nervous system tumors. We evaluated the risk of these tumors in relation to family history of malignant or benign tumors. Incident cases of meningioma (n = 197) or schwannoma (n = 96) were identified at three U. S. referral hospitals between June 1994 and August 1998. Controls (n = 799) admitted to the same hospitals for nonmalignant conditions were matched to cases on age, sex, race/ethnicity, hospital, and proximity of residence to hospital. We found that risk of meningioma was increased among persons reporting a family history of a benign brain tumor (odds ratio [OR], 4.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0-21.0; n = 5) or melanoma (OR, 4.2; 95% CI, 1.2-15.0; n 5). A family history of breast cancer was associated with an elevated meningioma risk among participants aged 18 to 49 years (OR, 3.9; 95% CI, 1.4-11.0; n = 8) but a reduced risk among older respondents (OR, 0.2; 95% CI, 0.1-0.7; n = 3). Family history of cancer did not differ between schwannoma cases and controls, although the statistical power to detect associations was limited. Some relative risk estimates were based on a small number of observations and may have arisen by chance. Inheritance of predisposing genes, shared environmental factors, or both within families with a history of benign brain tumors, melanoma, or possibly breast cancer may be related to altered meningioma risk.

Hill DA, Linet MS, Black PM, Fine HA, Selker RG, Shapiro WR, Inskip PD. Meningioma and schwannoma risk in adults in relation to family history of cancer . Neuro-oncol.Oct, 6(4):274-80, 2004