Neurofibromatosis Treatments

Treatment

Treatments for both types of NF are aimed at controlling symptoms. NF tumors are not always treated because they:

Grow slowly
Are rarely cancerous
May not cause problems

If you have NF, you will need regular exams to check for:

Tumors
Brown spots on the skin
Bones, including scoliosis
Hearing
Vision

Treatment of NF1

Surgery can help correct some bone abnormalities. Bone surgery may be combined with back braces to treat scoliosis. Surgery can also be used to remove painful or disfiguring tumors. However, tumors may grow back and in larger numbers. In rare cases when tumors become cancerous, treatment may include:

Treatment of NF2

Surgery can remove tumors, but it may damage the nerves. If the nerves to the ears are damaged, hearing loss can occur. Other treatment options include: