Rare or what??

[Omaschwannoma]

Are these stats in the US coming from people treated or diagnosed?  In any case what about those that come from other countries here to be treated, are they counted as treated or diagnosed?  Seems the docs can answer this better, but I commend you David for pushing the pencil. Numbers have always been challenging for me. 

[Nancy Drew]

Not to get into the stats thing, but I sure don't see any fund raisers for ANs around here in my part of the country.  Every time you turn around there is a 5k run or something to raise funds for medical causes, but I haven't seen any for ANs.  So, they must be rare.   Nancy

[LADavid]

Phyl?  Are there any efforts outside the ANA to raise funds for research or support?  Maybe we should do our own -- the 5K Stagger and Wobble.  Of course I'm sort of seeing something like the episode of The Office where Michael organizes a 5K to benefit a woman he hit with his car.

[calimama]

I have scotish background on my father's side (his grandparents were from there and came to Canada).

[Nancy Drew]

Cute remark, LADavid!!!   Nancy

[Jim Scott]

The statistics are interesting but they can be quite misleading, or as Mark Twain wrote (in 1907):  Figures often beguile me, particularly when I have the duty of arranging of them myself; in which case the remark attributed to (Benjamin ) Disraeli* would often apply with justice and force: "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."

I have no scientific training and am not a doctor but I've long discounted externals - such as cell phones - as the cause of acoustic neuromas.  I suspect they may be genetic but they are not passed on from generation to generation, which makes that explanation a bit problematic.  They are definitely anomalous and as such, may not have a genetic base, such as ethnicity.  I also doubt geographical location is the culprit.  If it were, that would seem to verify external influences as the root cause of the mutation of the Schwann cells that form myelin, the base of acoustic neuromas. 

I won't argue against theories and speculation as I have only more of the same to offer.  I just don't see the 'Aha! moment' anywhere near.  That acoustic neuromas are rare is evidenced, as Nancy Drew noted, by the (unfortunate) lack of attention paid to them by the public.  ANs receive little research money and less publicity.  Like it or not folks, we're 'unique'. 

Jim



19th century British Prime Minister 

[saralynn143]

Jim, just for the record, the cell phone tower comment was tongue-in-cheek. (On my paralyzed side, that's why it was hard to see.)

Sara