Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor mimicking carotid body tumor--case report and review.

Abstract

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor is a rare neurogenic tumor that usually presents in geriatic patients. Typically, it is found in the trunk and extremities and rarely presents in the head and neck region. It may mimic a carotid body tumor when it presents in the neck. We report the first case of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor of the vagus nerve in an adolescent boy. He presented with an asymptomatic lateral neck lump that was thought to be a benign schwannoma on preoperative imaging. We describe the diagnostic dilemma and management difficulties in this patient and review the literature.

• Authors: R M Lee, C P Ong, A S Jacobsen, M Y Chan, W S Hwang
• Journal: Journal of pediatric surgery (J Pediatr Surg) Vol. 46 Issue 3 Pg. 554-8 (Mar 2011) ISSN: 1531-5037 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21376209 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Adolescent
• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (therapeutic use)
• Carotid Body Tumor (diagnosis)
• Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Diagnostic Errors
• Head and Neck Neoplasms (diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, drug therapy, pathology, surgery)
• Humans
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Male
• Nerve Sheath Neoplasms (diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, drug therapy, pathology, surgery)
• Neurilemmoma (diagnosis)
• Remission Induction
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• Vagus Nerve (pathology, surgery)