Researchers from the Neurobiology of Hearing and Myelinopathies Research Group at Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Sols-Morreale (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, led by Dr Isabel Varela-Nieto, together with members from the Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Research Group at Hospital Universitario La Paz, led by Dr Luis Lassaletta, have published a study providing new insights into the molecular changes that could determine why some of these tumors regrow after surgery and require further salvage surgery.
Vestibular schwannoma is a benign tumor that originates in the vestibulocochlear nerve. Its course is highly variable, ranging from tumors that remain stable for years to others that grow rapidly within a few months. Although recurrence after surgery is uncommon, it can be particularly difficult to manage when it occurs and, to date, there are no reliable predictors of recurrence.
The study, entitled “Molecular predictors of recurrence in vestibular schwannomas: a transcriptomic and RT-qPCR analysis”, combines RNA sequencing and RT-qPCR validation to identify molecular markers associated with tumor recurrence. When recurrent tumors were compared with non-recurrent tumors, 81 differentially expressed genes were identified, with involvement in the MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways. Among the genes subjected to validation, CXCL8 and TNF were associated with more aggressive recurrences.
These results suggest that recurrent vestibular schwannomas have a distinct molecular profile, in which interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) stand out as potential biomarkers and, potentially, as therapeutic targets. These findings open the door to the development of a prognostic panel that could enable personalized patient follow-up and treatment, particularly for those at higher risk of recurrence, thereby optimizing postoperative surveillance.
Publication details: Ruiz-García C, Franco-Caspueñas S, Rodríguez-de la Rosa L, et al. Molecular predictors of recurrence in vestibular schwannomas: a transcriptomic and RT-qPCR analysis. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol.doi:10.1007/s00405-026-10548-7
Image: Professionals from the Otorhinolaryngology Department at Hospital Universitario La Paz during a surgical procedure.