There is no known cure for either form of NF even though the gene for NF-1 has been identified on Chromosome 17. The gene for NF-2 has been identified on Chromosome 22. This gene is a new type of tumor suppressor and is associated with both inherited and non-inherited forms of cancer. Occasionally, tumors may develop in the brain, on cranial nerve s, or on the spinal cord. Those with only mild and cosmetic symptoms of the disease seem to fare better.
Tumors affecting both of the auditory nerves are the hallmark.
Hearing loss beginning in the teens or early twenties is generally the first symptom. This gene may be inherited from an affected parent, or it may occur by chance in an individual with no family history of NF as a result of a gene change called a spontaneous mutation. NF can appear in any family. Once an individual has the NF gene, whether by inheritance or because of a spontaneous mutation, there is a 50-50 chance, each time he or she has a child, that the gene will be passed on. NF's extreme variability is seen even within families.