Descriptive epidemiology of vestibular schwannomas1

neuromas, arise from the vestibular branch of the eighth cranial nerve (acoustic nerve) and are benign, slow-growing brain tumors that negatively impact patient quality of life. They are thought to account for the majority of intracranial nerve sheath tumors. To describe incidence rate patterns and trends of primary nerve sheath tumors of the brain/CNS and the subset of vestibular schwannomas in two population-based incidence registries, data were obtained from 11 Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States (CBTRUS) collaborating state registries and the Los Angeles County Cancer Surveillance Program (LACCSP) (1975–1998). Average annual incidence rates were tabulated by age, gender, race, year, and region and were age-adjusted to the year 2000 U.S. standard population. Multiplicative Poisson regression models were used to compare trends in primary nerve sheath tumors of the brain/CNS overall and in subgroups, including vestibular schwannomas, controlling for age, gender, race, microscopic confirmation, and region. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to identify any sharp Descriptive epidemiology of vestibular schwannomas1