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Aspirin intake has been correlated with the halted growth of vestibular schwannomas (also known as acoustic neuromas) in a new study. The vestibular schwannomas is the lethal intracranial tumor that causes hearing loss and tinnitus. 

Researchers took into account of more than 600 people diagnosed with vestibular schwannoma at Mass. Eye and Ear and performed a retrospective analysis. The research suggested that the aspirin carried the potential therapeutic role in inhibiting tumor growth. 

"Currently, there are no FDA-approved drug therapies to treat these tumors, which are the most common tumors of the cerebellopontine angle and the fourth most common intracranial tumors," explained lead researcher Konstantina Stankovic, M.D., Ph.D., Mass. Eye and Ear clinican-researcher and assistant professor of otology andlaryngology, Harvard Medical School, in a press release.

"Current options for management of growing vestibular schwannomas include surgery (via craniotomy) or radiation therapy, both of which are associated with potentially serious complications." 

The findings of the study also motivated a clinical prospective study to assess efficacy of the antio-inflammatory medication in preventing growth of the intracranial tumors. 

Around 690 people were taken into consideration in which 347 were followed with a multiple magnetic resonance imaging MRI scans (50.3%). The primary outcome measures were patient use of aspirin and rate at which vestibular schwannoma grew were measured by changes in the largest tumor dimension as they were recorded on serial MRIs.

"Our results suggest a potential therapeutic role of aspirin in inhibiting vestibular schwannoma growth," said Dr. Stankovic in the press release, who is an otologic surgeon and researcher at Mass. Eye and Ear, Assistant Professor of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School (HMS), and member of the faculty of Harvard's Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology. The findings are published online in the journal Otology and Neurotology.