Vestibular schwannoma arises from the Schwann cells coating the vestibulocochlear nerve—the eighth cranial nerve connecting the inner ear to the brainstem. It is not a brain cancer, but it behaves like one by compressing critical structures within the narrow internal auditory canal and cerebellopontine angle.
Approximately 1 in 100,000 people are diagnosed annually worldwide. The tumor typically grows slowly—2 mm per year on average—yet its location makes every millimeter consequential.
China reports a substantial and growing patient volume, with tens of thousands of affected individuals. This large clinical base has given our teams deep expertise in hearing-preservation and facial-nerve-sparing management—where a single treatment decision determines whether a patient retains a smile and the ability to hear. As our guiding philosophy states: "The more we treat, the more precisely we protect your face, your hearing, and your balance."
onth MRI to establish growth rate before definitive treatment decision.
Every neurosurgical center can remove a large vestibular schwannoma. Here is what makes ours different:
"The surgeon said removing the tumor would likely paralyze half my face and destroy my hearing on that side. Can you treat it without stealing my smile and my ear?"
The challenge: Microsurgical resection of vestibular schwannoma—particularly for tumors >2.5 cm—carries significant risk to the facial nerve (the nerve controlling facial expression) and the cochlear nerve (hearing). Even in experienced hands, postoperative facial weakness occurs in 20–50% of cases, and useful hearing preservation drops below 50% for larger tumors. Many patients would rather live with the tumor than lose their face.
Our answer: CyberKnife M6 stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for precise tumor control with functional preservation:
• For Small to Medium Tumors (≤3 cm)： CyberKnife delivers 0.1mm sub-millimeter precision radiation to the tumor in 1–3 sessions. The steep dose gradient means the tumor receives a lethal dose while the facial nerve and cochlear nerve receive a fraction that preserves their function. Useful hearing preservation exceeds 70–80%. Facial nerve preservation exceeds 95%.
• For Large Tumors： For tumors >3 cm causing brainstem compression or hydrocephalus, we may perform subtotal surgical debulking (removing the brainstem-compressing portion) followed by CyberKnife SRS to the residual tumor capsule—combining urgent decompression with definitive non-invasive control of the remainder.
• Facial Nerve Monitoring Integration: Even when surgery is required, our intraoperative facial nerve monitoring maximizes nerve preservation—supplemented by postoperative CyberKnife for any residual.
• Hearing-Preservation Dosing： We employ cochlear-sparing dosimetry—keeping the radiation dose to the cochlea below the threshold known to cause hearing loss.
What this means for you: You do not have to choose between treating the tumor and keeping your face and hearing. For most small-to-medium vestibular schwannomas, CyberKnife offers tumor control rates comparable to surgery—while preserving the functions that make life normal.
"I had surgery years ago. They could not remove it all because the facial nerve was stuck to the tumor. Now it is growing back. I cannot face another operation. What else can you do?"
The challenge: Subtotal resection—deliberate or unavoidable—leaves residual tumor that regrows in 30–60% of cases over 5–10 years. Re-operation in a scarred cerebellopontine angle carries significantly higher facial nerve injury risk than primary surgery. Many patients are told "watch and wait until it causes problems again"—living with anxiety and progressive symptoms.
Our answer: CyberKnife SRS as the definitive treatment for residual or recurrent vestibular schwannoma:
• Post-Surgical Residual： For known residual tumor capsule left adherent to the facial nerve or brainstem, CyberKnife delivers a focused ablative dose to the residual tissue—completing the treatment that surgery could not finish, without returning to the operating room.
• Post-Radiation Recurrence： For tumors that progress after prior conventional radiotherapy, CyberKnife's sub-millimeter precision allows focal retreatment of the growing nodule while keeping cumulative dose to the brainstem, facial nerve, and cochlea within safe limits.
• Salvage After Failed Surgery： For patients who lost hearing or developed facial weakness after primary surgery and now face recurrence, CyberKnife offers tumor control without compounding neurological deficit.
• Growth Control Without New Deficits: Long-term data show CyberKnife achieves >90% tumor growth control for residual/recurrent vestibular schwannoma, with preservation of whatever facial and hearing function remains after prior treatment.
What this means for you: If your tumor was incompletely removed or has returned after surgery, you do not need to face the operating room again. CyberKnife can finish what surgery started—or control what surgery could not—without adding new neurological injury.
"My tumor is over 3 cm and compressing my brainstem. Radiosurgery alone may not be enough. But I am terrified of surgery destroying my face and hearing. Is there a middle path?"
The challenge: Large vestibular schwannomas (>3 cm) present a dilemma: CyberKnife SRS alone may not adequately decompress the brainstem, while microsurgery carries the highest risk of facial paralysis and hearing loss. The patient is caught between inadequate non-invasive treatment and overly morbid surgery.
Our answer: The "Combined Modality" Approach — Surgery + CyberKnife SRS Sequencing:
• Subtotal Surgical Debulking + CyberKnife to Residual： A neurosurgical team performs deliberate subtotal resection—removing the brainstem-compressing mass while meticulously preserving the facial nerve and any remaining hearing. Days to weeks later, CyberKnife SRS ablates the residual tumor capsule with 0.1mm precision. Result: brainstem decompressed + tumor definitively controlled + facial and hearing function maximally preserved.
• Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt if Needed： For tumors causing obstructive hydrocephalus, temporary or permanent CSF diversion is performed alongside debulking—immediately relieving pressure before radiosurgery.
• Tumor Hyperthermia for Rapid Symptom Relief： For patients with large, symptomatic tumors awaiting staged treatment, regional hyperthermia can reduce peritumoral edema and improve balance—bridging to definitive therapy.
• Integrated Vestibular Rehabilitation： Post-treatment vestibular physical therapy accelerates balance recovery—regardless of whether surgery, SRS, or both were used.
What this means for you: Large tumors do not force you to choose between dangerous surgery and insufficient radiation. We combine both—taking what surgery does best (immediate decompression) and what CyberKnife does best (precision ablation of residual)—into one coordinated plan that protects your face, your hearing, and your life.
For NF2-related or recurrent vestibular schwannomas where standard options are exhausted, we provide rapid access to China's full portfolio of Phase III clinical trials—including novel mTOR inhibitors, anti-VEGF agents for cystic tumor control, and next-generation radiosurgery dose-escalation protocols—typically 3–5 years ahead of availability elsewhere. Every enrollment is ethics-approved with full medical supervision.
Our TCM program runs alongside your primary treatment as a "vestibular and neurological function optimizer":
• Toxicity Reduction： Herbal formulations help manage post-treatment vertigo and imbalance, reduce radiation-induced fatigue, support facial nerve recovery, and alleviate tinnitus.
• Efficacy Enhancement： Selected preparations may support vestibular compensation and improve tolerance to combined therapy.
Acupuncture provides additional support for vertigo, tinnitus, facial muscle toning, and balance rehabilitation. The goal: maximize your functional recovery and quality of life—preserving not just the nerves, but what they allow you to do.
Every vestibular schwannoma case is reviewed by a panel comprising neurosurgery (microsurgery and endoscopy), radiation oncology (CyberKnife SRS), neuroradiology, audiology, otology, neuro-ophthalmology (for NF2), genetics (for NF2), and vestibular rehabilitation specialists. Vestibular schwannoma decisions are uniquely complex: observation versus intervention; surgery versus SRS versus combined; hearing preservation versus tumor control priorities; and NF2 management across a lifetime.
The MDT convenes within 48 hours of complete documentation. Your plan is a consensus decision optimized for your tumor size, location, hearing status, facial nerve function, NF2 status, age, and your priorities.
Diagnosis:
Unilateral Vestibular Schwannoma with Concurrent Trigeminal Schwannoma
Treatment Plan:
The patient presented with moderate hearing impairment and facial numbness. Surgical resection was considered unlikely to achieve complete tumor removal and carried substantial risks of neurological complications, including facial paralysis, sensory loss, worsening hearing impairment, deafness, and ocular motility dysfunction.
Following multidisciplinary team (MDT) discussion, CyberKnife radiosurgery was selected as the primary treatment modality.
Outcome:
Three months after treatment, pre-existing symptoms—including mild tinnitus, facial numbness, and visual disturbances—not only failed to worsen but had largely resolved.
Follow-up MRI with and without contrast demonstrated near-complete tumor necrosis without significant surrounding edema or other adverse radiographic findings.
Led by Dr. Yang Jun, Prof. Luo Pengfei, and Prof. Chen Tao, the Fosun Oncology Center brings together more than 20 world-class medical experts, each with over a decade of extensive oncology experience. Supported by a comprehensive range of advanced therapies — including robotic surgery, precision radiotherapy, minimally invasive intervention, CAR-T cell therapy, and Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) — the center delivers one-stop, integrated cancer care designed to make treatment more accessible, efficient, and high-quality for every patient.
Key Highlights
- Over 60,000 annual oncology patient admissions across Fosun’s major international hospitals in 2025
More than 17,000 cumulative TACE procedures completed between 2023 and 2025 at Fosun Hospital Guangzhou alone, with international patients accounting for over 10% of total cases
- More than 1,000 successful CyberKnife treatments performed, demonstrating world-class expertise in precision radiotherapy
- A 29.3% five-year survival rate achieved for Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) through combined TTFields therapy, representing a significant improvement over the 4.7% baseline
Core Services
- Robotic surgery
- Precision radiotherapy
- Minimally invasive intervention
- CAR-T cell therapy
- Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields)
- Medical oncology
- PET/CT imaging
- Pulmonary nodule diagnosis
- VIP inpatient wards
- Integrated oncology clinics
- Traditional Chinese medicine for oncology
- Cancer screening and early detection
- Genetic testing and counseling
Fosun & Fosun Health
Founded in 1992, Fosun has grown over the past three decades into a global innovation-driven consumer group. In 2007, Fosun International Limited was listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (stock code: 00656.HK). As one of the few Chinese enterprises with strong global operational and investment capabilities, Fosun has developed substantial technological expertise and innovation capacity across multiple industries.
Established in 2010, Shanghai Fosun Health Technology is dedicated to building a world-renowned healthcare group in Asia. Today, the group operates 19 affiliated medical institutions across Foshan, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shanghai, and other major cities, with a total of 6,600 hospital beds and 9 Internet Hospital licenses. Fosun Health ranks No. 1 among China’s private comprehensive medical groups. Its flagship institution, Fosun Foshan Chancheng Hospital, has ranked first among private hospitals in China for eight consecutive years and was honored with the 2026 Global Health Asia-Pacific “Oncological Medical Service Provider of the Year” award.
As the flagship hospital of Fosun Health, Fosun Foshan Chancheng Hospital was founded in 1958. The hospital currently hosts 28 key specialty development programs, including 2 provincial-level, 13 municipal-level, and 13 district-level key specialties. Its services span 22 medical disciplines, including spinal orthopedics, traditional Chinese medicine gynecology, obstetrics and gynecology, cardiovascular medicine, clinical laboratory medicine, anesthesiology, pediatrics, critical care medicine, ultrasound medicine, rehabilitation medicine, general practice, general surgery, and urology.
The hospital is equipped with globally advanced medical technologies, including the CyberKnife system and the Da Vinci Surgical Robot. It has 1,750 approved hospital beds and a multidisciplinary team of more than 2,800 medical professionals. The hospital records nearly 3.19 million outpatient visits annually and more than 67,000 inpatient discharges each year.
Fosun Foshan Chancheng Hospital has received numerous prestigious recognitions, including:
Global Health Asia-Pacific “Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of the Year”
Global Health China “Hospital of the Year”
No. 1 ranking on the GAHA Top 500 Private Hospitals in China list for eight consecutive years
The hospital has also been recognized as:
A National Model Unit for Improved Medical Services
A National Drug Clinical Trial Institution (GCP)
A National Standardized Residency Training Base
Established in 2003, Guangzhou Fosun Chancheng Hospital specializes in cardiovascular medicine, oncology, and neurosciences. The hospital has established a National Chest Pain Center, Stroke Center, Trauma Center, and MDT Center, supporting the development of emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, intensive care, anesthesiology, gastroenterology, general surgery, urology, and general practice.
The hospital operates more than 800 inpatient beds and 48 clinical and medical technology departments, supported by a team of over 880 healthcare professionals.
Guangzhou Fosun Chancheng Hospital has received several honors and industry recognitions, including:
EMBA Innovation Practice Base
Guangdong Private Medical Reform & Innovation Brand
Guangdong Private Medical Industry Pioneer Brand
Outstanding Brand Hospital for Medical Investment Contribution
Upload your internal auditory canal MRI with contrast, audiometry report, brainstem auditory evoked response, and prior surgical records if applicable. The Fosun Health Vestibular Schwannoma MDT Panel will conduct a comprehensive evaluation and deliver a personalized preliminary treatment plan—including CyberKnife SRS candidacy, surgery-SRS sequencing, and NF2 management protocol—within 48 hours.
