Acoustic schwannoma, also known as Vestibular schwannoma, is an uncommon cancerous tumour in the nerve connecting the inner ear with the brain. Acoustic schwannoma can lead to hearing loss and unbearable pain in the ear. It can be treated by surgical removal, radiation and regular monitoring by the neurosurgeon specialist.

Your doctor may recommend stereotactic radiosurgery, particularly if your tumor is small (less than 3 centimeters in diameter), you are an older adult or you cannot tolerate surgery for health reasons. In such case stereotactic radiosurgery, such as Gamma Knife radiosurgery, uses many tiny gamma rays to deliver a precisely targeted dose of radiation to a tumor without damaging the surrounding tissue or making an incision.