CP Angle Tumors or Cerebellopontine Angle (CPA) Tumors
Cerebellopontine Angle Tumors accounts for almost 5-10% of the intracranial tumors and most of them are benign. They are the most common neoplasm in the posterior fossa. The cerebellopontine angle is a space filled with spinal fluid. Common pathologies in the CPA include vestibular schwannomas, which account for 10% of all primary brain neoplasms, meningiomas and arachnoid cysts
Treatment Options
Treatment for CPA tumors depends upon the patient’s age, his medical condition, growth rate of tumor, and the pathologic behaviour of the tumor. Some cases may be treated with diuretic therapy.
But the main options for CPA tumor management include
- Surgical resection
- Radiation therapy
- Observation with serial imaging
Chemotherapy is very rarely considered for occasional malignant lesions.
What are the symptoms of CPA tumor?
The symptoms of this tumor vary according to the size and location of the lesion. Some general symptoms include
Extra axial tumors
- Acoustic tumors (vestibular schwannomas)
- Meningioma
- Epidermoid
- Arachnoid
Intra – axial tumors
- Parenchymal lesions
- Extradural tumors
- Glomus tumors
- Bone lesions
- Petrous apex lesions
- Cholesterol granulomas
- Epidermoid cysts
- Mucoceles
CPA tumors are diagnosed after complete physical examination of the patient including an examination of the ear and an assessment of the patient’s hearing, the cranial nerve, oculomotor and cerebellar function. Diagnostic tests like CT scan and MRI are required to confirm the diagnosis and to evaluate the prognosis for the disease
