Schwannoma of the breast: report of a case

Surg Today. 2005;35(3):238-42. doi: 10.1007/s00595-004-2904-4.

Abstract

This report describes a rare case of a schwannoma that developed in the left breast of a 45-year-old woman without von Recklinghausen's disease. The patient complained of a mass growing slowly in her breast for more than 4 years. She did not have any pain and denied any discharge from her nipple. A physical examination revealed a 3.1 x 2.3-cm, elastic-soft, smooth, and mobile lump close to the nipple of the left breast. Mammography revealed a circumscribed, oval-shaped, and equal dense nodule without microcalcification. On ultrasonography the lesion was found to be a well-demarcated, hypoechoic mass including a large cystic area, which led to the suspicion of a phyllodes tumor. An excisional biopsy was performed. A microcopic examination revealed a structure with interlacing bundles of numerous elongated spindle-shaped cells with a typical palisading pattern. These findings were compatible with schwannoma. A review of the English literature yielded 21 proven cases of breast schwannoma. In this report, we describe another such case and review those documented in the literature.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biopsy, Needle
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Breast Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Mammography / methods
  • Mastectomy, Segmental / methods
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurilemmoma / diagnosis*
  • Neurilemmoma / surgery*
  • Premenopause
  • Risk Assessment
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Ultrasonography, Mammary