Abstract
Most tumorous lesions of the esophagus are esophageal cancers. Benign primary tumors of the esophagus are uncommon, and account for approximately 2% of all esophageal tumors. More than 80% of benign esophageal tumors are leiomyomas, with schwannomas being rare. A 55-year-old woman visited our internal medicine department with complaints of palpitations and discomfort during swallowing. A chest computed tomography scan showed a lobulated tumor (75 × 57 × 80 mm) in the upper to middle mediastinum, with homogenous inner opacity, compressing the esophagus. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a smooth-surfaced elevated lesion covered with normal mucosa, and a schwannoma was diagnosed based on the biopsy result. The tumor was large. It was thus considered to be difficult to repair the esophagus by direct anastomosis after tumor resection. Therefore, subtotal esophagectomy and esophagogastrostomy in the right thorax were performed. Histopathological examination revealed spindle-shaped cells in a fasciculated and disarrayed architecture and nuclei in a palisading pattern. Immunohistochemical studies revealed S100 protein positivity and the absence of staining for α smooth muscle actin (αSMA), CD34 and CD117, thereby establishing the diagnosis of benign schwannoma. Her postoperative course was uneventful and there has been no evidence of recurrence to date.
Highlights
The incidence of benign primary tumors of the esophagus is low
We report a patient with schwannoma who was referred to us for evaluation of a mediastinal tumor
Detailed examination yielded a diagnosis of schwannoma arising from the esophageal submucosa and radical surgery was performed
Summary
The incidence of benign primary tumors of the esophagus is low. Most are leiomyomas, and schwannomas are rare. Case presentation A 55-year-old woman visited our hospital with complaints of palpitations and discomfort during swallowing. Her medical and familial histories were unremarkable. A chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed a lobulated tumor (75 × 57 × 80 mm) in the upper to middle mediastinum, with a homogenous inner component, compressing the esophagus (Figure 1). Immunohistochemical studies revealed S100 protein positivity (Figure 4) and the absence of staining for α smooth muscle actin (αSMA), CD34 and CD117, establishing the diagnosis of benign schwannoma. Her postoperative course was uneventful and there has been no evidence of recurrence to date
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
