This research success will make it possible, on simple blood tests, to tell whether an individual has inherited the Nf2 gene long before there is any chance of their developing tumours. This will be a great relief to those who have not inherited the gene. It promises also to explain why tumours develop and perhaps how they might be stopped without operations. These are tumours on the nerve that takes messages from our ears to the brain. The brain interprets these messages so that we 'hear' a sound.
Tumours grow around the nerve compressing it and leading to a gradual loss of hearing.
Although the gene fault is present from conception, these tumours usually do not grow to a size where they cause symptoms until the teens or early twenties and sometimes later. The tumour on one acoustic nerve may grow at a different rate to the other, therefore problems may arise on one side before the other. The first symptom may be loss of hearing which is often noticed when using the telephone. Intermittent ringing or roaring in one or both ears may occur and some people notice unsteadiness especially when walking on uneven ground or when they get up at night. Less commonly, a change in the sensation to the face, weakness of the face muscles, headache or a change in vision my be noticed.