AccScience Publishing / TD / Volume 3 / Issue 2 / DOI: 10.36922/td.2606
CASE REPORT

Calcified peripheral schwannoma mimicking a cervical lymph node: A case report and literature review

Karmouch Mohamed Amine1†* Bouzoubaa Youssef1† Bijou Walid1 Rouadi Sami1 Abada Reda Allah1 Oukessou Youssef1 Roubal Mohamed1 Mahtar Mohamed1
Show Less
1 Department ENT Head and Neck Surgery, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
Tumor Discovery 2024, 3(2), 2606 https://doi.org/10.36922/td.2606
Submitted: 1 January 2024 | Accepted: 28 February 2024 | Published: 21 May 2024
© 2024 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
Abstract

Peripheral schwannomas are typically benign tumors originating from Schwann cells of peripheral nerves. Although often asymptomatic, such tumors may present diagnostic challenges since they resemble other known structures, leading to potential misinterpretations. Here, we present the case of a 17-year-old patient with a cervical mass that initially posed a diagnostic dilemma, resembling a cervical lymph node on clinical examination. The calcified nature of the tumor added complexity to its identification, and our case underscores the significance of a good diagnostic evaluation. The literature on calcified peripheral schwannomas is scarce, but the current case contributes to the understanding of atypical presentations. Diagnostic modalities, including imaging studies and histopathological examination, play a pivotal role in confirming the schwannoma diagnosis and differentiating it from other entities. Surgical excision remains the primary treatment, but awareness of varied presentations is crucial for accurate management. This case report serves as a valuable addition to the literature, highlighting calcified peripheral schwannomas mimicking cervical lymph nodes. Medical practitioners should maintain a high index of suspicion for schwannomas in unusual clinical cases, ensuring accurate diagnosis and appropriate management.

Keywords
Cervical mass
Schwannoma
Calcification
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
References
  1. Daly JF, Roesler HK. Neurilemmoma of the cervical sympathetic chain. Arch Otolaryngol. 1963;77:262267. doi: 10.1001/archotol.1963.00750010272008

 

  1. Bozec A, Dassonville O, Poissonnet G, Ndiaje M, Demard F. Laryngeal schwannoma: A case report. Ann Otolaryngol Chir Cervicofac. 2003;120(1):4044.

 

  1. Verma RR, Verma R. Ancient schwannoma: Cervical sympathetic chain with review of literature. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022;74(Suppl 2):18861892. doi: 10.1007/s12070-020-01888-9

 

  1. Malone JP, Lee WJ, Levin RJ. Clinical characteristics and treatment outcome for nonvestibular schwannomas of the head and neck. Am J Otolaryngol. 2005;26(2):108112. doi: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2004.08.011

 

  1. Bihani V, Hardikar P, Dokhe Y, Dabholkar J. Ancient schwannoma of cervical sympathetic chain masquerading as carotid body tumour. Int Surg J. 2015;2(2):274-277. doi: 10.5455/2349-2902.isj20150530

 

  1. Bowles PF, Cheong RC, Cartwright S, Pelser A. Ancient schwannoma of the cervical sympathetic chain. Clin Case Rep. 2017;5(7):10771080. doi: 10.1002/ccr3.971

 

  1. Ahn D, Lee GJ, Sohn JH, Jeong JY. Fine‐needle aspiration cytology versus core‐needle biopsy for the diagnosis of extracranial head and neck schwannoma. Head Neck. 2018;40(12):26952700. doi: 10.1002/hed.25520

 

  1. Nao EE, Dassonville O, Bozec A, et al. Cervical sympathetic chain schwannoma. Eur Ann Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Dis. 2012;129(1):5153. doi: 10.1016/j.anorl.2011.04.003

 

  1. Ryu KH, Moon JI, Baek HJ, et al. Brachial plexus schwannoma mimicking cervical lymphadenopathy: A case report with emphasis on imaging features. Medicine (Baltimore). 2018;97(42):e12880. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000012880

 

  1. Liu HL, Yu SY, Li GK, Wei WI. Extracranial head and neck Schwannomas: A study of the nerve of origin. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2011;268(9):13431347. doi: 10.1007/s00405-011-1491-4

 

  1. Myssiorek DJ, Silver CE, Valdes ME. Schwannoma of the cervical sympathetic chain. J Laryngol Otol. 1988;102(10):962965. doi: 10.1017/s0022215100106930

 

  1. Silvestre CF, Tavares JA, López-Presa D, Dos Santos VR, Rocha J, João Bugalho M. Cervical lymph node schwannoma-an unexpected diagnosis. Clin Pathol. 2019;12:2632010X1982923. doi: 10.1177/2632010X19829239

 

  1. Din NU, Fritchie K, Tariq MU, Ahmed A, Ahmad Z. Calcification and ossification in conventional schwannoma: A clinicopathologic study of 32 cases. Neuropathology. 2020;40(2):144-151. doi: 10.1111/neup.12622.

 

  1. Kragh LV, Soule EH, Masson JK. Benign and malignant neurilemmomas of the head and neck. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1960;111:211218.
Share
Back to top
Tumor Discovery, Electronic ISSN: 2810-9775 Print ISSN: 3060-8597, Published by AccScience Publishing