Schwannoma of the cheek: clinical case and literature review.

Abstract

Schwannoma is a relatively uncommon benign tumor that apparently originates from Schwann cells of peripheral nerves. The most common intraoral site is the tongue followed by the palate, floor of mouth, buccal mucosa, lips and the jaws. The preoperative diagnosis is often difficult, and in the majority of cases, the diagnosis can only be made during surgery and by histological study. The immunohistochemistry reveals that the schwannoma cells test positive for S-100 protein. The authors report here a case of an intraoral schwannoma situated in the cheek, treated by complete surgical excision. In the present case the schwannoma presented as a slow growing, circumscribed swelling without any particular features to distinguish it from other benign soft-tissue lesions. The final diagnosis was established based on the clinical, histopathologic and immunohistochemical findings. The presence of schwannoma calls for the careful search for nerve tumors in other parts of the body, although in most cases none may be found. The differentiation of schwannoma from neurofibroma is essential, because an apparently solitary neurofibroma may be a manifestation of neurofibromatosis.