Given that elevated levels of TNF-α and TWEAK are associated with the greater severity of human hearing loss (Figs. 4B, C and 6B, C), and that these factors are increased in the perilymph on the tumor-bearing side (Fig. 7C), it is plausible to propose their cooperation in mediating VS-induced hearing loss. The gene discussed is TNFSF12; the disease is neoplasm.