What are nerve tumors?
Nerves are like wires that carry messages between your brain and body. Like wires, nerves have layers around them that protect them. A nerve tumor, also referred to as a nerve sheath tumor because of its location, is an abnormal growth that develops within the sheath or protective layer around the peripheral nerves, which extend from the brain and spinal cord throughout the body.
Most nerve tumors are benign (non-cancerous) but some may require treatment due to the potential for nerves to become compressed, leading to pain or loss of function. Nerve tumors generally develop within the nerve sheath, a layer of myelin and connective tissue that surrounds nerve fibers. Nerve tumor conditions, or neurofibromatoses, are typically categorized by type based on differences in location and likelihood of developing into nerve cancer. The most common types of nerve tumor conditions are neurofibromatosis type 1, neurofibromatosis type 2, and schwannomatosis.
- These nerve tumors, called neurofibromas, tend to develop on the skin and nerves throughout the body.
- They are predominantly noncancerous.
- These are neuromas (tumors) of the acoustic nerve responsible for hearing and balance.
- They are predominantly noncancerous, but may lead to problems with hearing and balance.
- These are multiple benign tumors in the cranial, spine, or peripheral nerves.
- They are noncancerous, but sometimes develop into malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors.