Schwannoma of the vagina - a common tumor but a rare location: A case report

Abstract

Schwannomas are nerve sheath tumors arising from Schwann cells. These tumors usually present as benign, relatively slow-growing, solitary, encapsulated, painless masses. Schwannomas rarely occur in the vagina, and have not been fully recognized as gynecological tumors. We herein describe the case of a patient who presented with a schwannoma occurring in the wall of vagina, with non-specific symptoms lasting for ~1 year. The vaginal mass was incidentally detected during a sonographic examination and the patient was referred for surgical resection. The surgery was uncomplicated and the vaginal tumor was diagnosed as benign schwannoma. The immunohistochemical examination revealed positivity for vimentin, S-100 and glial fibrillary acidic protein, whereas discovered on GIST-1, CD117, CD34, desmin, smooth muscle actin and cytokeratin were negative. Tumors occurring in the vagina are common and are of variable histological types, with a wide range of pathological characteristics and complications. Schwannoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis in patients presenting with atypical symptoms from the gynecological tract. Immunohistochemical staining is required for confirmation of the diagnosis of schwannoma, and for distinguishing this entity from other homologous tumors.

Vaginal Schwannoma

“…Treatment in the form of excision is accepted to be curative. 5 We report a case of vaginal schwannoma arising from the right lateral vaginal wall.…”

“…Antoni B areas are hypocellular and composed of small round cells within a myxoid stroma. 5 Immunohistochemical analysis is essential to confirm the diagnosis of schwannoma and to differentiate these tumors from the homologous ones.…”

“…Schwannomas are composed predominantly of Schwann cells, which are characterized immunohistochemically by positive S-100 protein immunoreactivity in the majority of tumor cells. 5 Usually, they present as a single painless subcutaneous mass of variable size (exceptionally very large), but may be occasionally multiple and, in this context, rarely associated with von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis. 6 The clinical manifestations of schwannomas vary according to tumor size and location and are mostly atypical.…”

“…6 The clinical manifestations of schwannomas vary according to tumor size and location and are mostly atypical. 5 Schwannomas uncommonly recur and rarely suffer malignant change. Treatment in the form of excision is accepted to be curative.…”

Schwannoma of the long thoracic nerve in the left axilla: a case report

“…They may arise in any region of the body. [1][2][3] The mass may be misdiagnosed as another type of tumor because of certain Department of Hand Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China features.…”