Schwannoma of the base of tongue in a 26-year old male: A rare case report with a short review of literature

Abstract

Schwannoma is a benign nerve sheath tumor that arises from Schwann cells of the peripheral nerve sheath with uncertain etiology. It is well-encapsulated and a slow-growing tumor. Approximately 25-48% of cases are seen in the head and neck region. Schwannoma of the oral cavity has an approximate incidence of 1%. Tongue base Schwannoma is a rare entity. It can affect all age groups and typically presents as a painless lump. However, when it grows larger than 3 cm, it may produce dysphagia, pain, or discomfort and change in the quality of voice. Hence, Schwannoma should be considered as one of the differential diagnoses of exophytic mass of the tongue. We report a rare case of Schwannoma of the base of the tongue in a 26-year-old male who presented with a complaint of lump, along with a review of the literature published in the last 64 years.

Keywords: Base of tongue; Schwannoma; nerve sheath tumor; rare; tumors of oral cavity.