Adrenal gland schwannoma mimicking breast cancer metastasis. A case report

Abstract

Summary Introduction Schwannoma is a benign, usually encapsulated, nerve sheath tumour originating from Schwann cells. Primary schwannomas of the adrenal gland are extremely rare. Case report We present a case of 55 year old female patient with breast cancer, treated with mastectomy and lymphadenectomy with subsequent hormonal therapy. Three months after mastectomy, ultrasonography revealed a hormonally inactive tumour in the left adrenal gland which was suspected to be a metastasis. Adrenalectomy was performed and the microscopic and immunohistochemical examinations revealed the tumour to be a schwannoma. Conclusion As adrenal schwannomas are so infrequent, they can pose diagnostic problems and should be differentiated from other spindle cell lesions of the adrenal gland or metastatic tumours.