# Hearing improvement after bevacizumab in patients with neurofibromatosis type 2

Source: https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-plotkin-bevacizumab-nf2-nejm-2009/  
OnCo record `paper-plotkin-bevacizumab-nf2-nejm-2009` (Key paper). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

In a small series of people with NF2 and progressive vestibular schwannomas, the anti-VEGF antibody bevacizumab shrank the tumours in most and, remarkably, improved hearing in more than half, opening the first drug treatment for these tumours.

## Summary

Retrospective series of 10 patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 and progressive vestibular schwannomas treated with bevacizumab after showing VEGF expression in tumour specimens.

Tumour shrinkage occurred in nine of ten patients (volumetric response of 20 percent or more in six), and hearing improved in four of seven evaluable patients, with responses maintained over months of treatment.

## Fields

- Kind: Key paper
- Last checked: 2026-09-17
- Journal: New England Journal of Medicine
- Year: 2009
- DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa0902579
- Authors: Plotkin SR, Stemmer-Rachamimov AO, Barker FG, et al.
- Findings: Volumetric tumour response in six of ten patients.; Hearing improvement in four of seven evaluable patients.
- What it means: Bevacizumab is used off label for NF2-related schwannomatosis with growing tumours or declining hearing, supported by later phase 2 trials, and the study opened the search for medical therapy of schwannoma.
- Caveats: Ten patients, retrospective, no control.; Responses are not permanent and treatment must continue; hypertension and proteinuria limit long-term use.

## Sources

- N Engl J Med 2009: https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa0902579
- PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19587327/

## Connected records

- cancers: [Vestibular schwannoma (acoustic neuroma)](https://onco.cc/cancers/vestibular-schwannoma/)
- drugs: [Bevacizumab](https://onco.cc/drugs/bevacizumab/)
- journals: [New England Journal of Medicine](https://onco.cc/journals/nejm/)

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