The Acoustic Neuroma Foundation is pushing for more randomized controlled studies to be done about treatments for acoustic neuroma.

On Sunday, October 31, 2004, I sent the following letter.

James D. Boswell
Chief Executive Officer
House Ear Institute
2100 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90057

Dear James:

I recently received your magazine, House Calls, and was impressed by the research that you are doing, and the large of amount of research funding that you apparently have.

Perhaps the most important question for the acoustic neuroma patient today, patients with small, less than 2 cm tumors, is whether to treat the tumor with Gamma Knife (or another form of radiation therapy) or surgery. Patients need to know which is the less harmful treatment with the certainty that only a randomized controlled trial can provide.

I'd like to know why House Ear Institute has not been pursuing such a randomized controlled study. Please be aware that your response may be made public, as I am a reporter looking into this matter. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you and best regards.

Sincerely,

Bradley Hennenfent, MD
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My letter was passed on to Dr. Derald Brackmann. Here is Dr. Brackmann’s reply:



It’s my opinion that it is the obligation of physicians and the medical community to see that randomized controlled studies are done.

The Acoustic Neuroma Foundation will continue to fight for randomized controlled studies.