[Epidemiologic studies of cerebellopontine angle tumors surgically treated in Maracaibo, Venezuela, in 1985-1999].

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological, clinical and neuropathological data of cases of cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumors.

Material And Methods: The clinical records, neuroimaging and neuropathological studies of 50 patients with diagnosis of CPA tumor operated in different hospitals of Maracaibo, Venezuela, during the lapse January 1st, 1985-December 31, 1999 were reviewed. The variables age, gender, side of the lesion and neuropathological diagnosis were analyzed.

Results: A 2:1 female to male ratio was observed. Median age was 48 +/- 12.7 years. Acoustic neuromas (AN) represented 48% of the cases, whereas nonacoustic neuroma tumors (NANT) made up for the rest (52%). Meningiomas were the second more commonly diagnosed lesions, they constituted 32% of the cases. Meningiomas and AN were more frequent in women, their ratios being 7:1 and 1.6:1, respectively. In 60% of the cases the signs and symptoms became eloquent in patients of the fourth and fifth decades of life.

Conclusions: The difference between our results and the ones previously reported in the medical literature are due in part to the predominance of female patients in our series. Endocrinologic, genetic and biochemical factors could also be responsible; nevertheless, this does not constitute the objective of the present study.