Benign schwannoma of the esophagus: report of two cases with immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies

Esophageal schwannoma: Case report and epidemiological, clinical, surgical and immunopathological analysis

INTRODUCTION

Schwannoma is a tumor of the peripheral nervous system originated in the Schwann cells of the neural sheath.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A 43-years-old male complained of odynophagia, dysphagia and hemoptysis. The upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed a smooth elevated lesion, 20 cm from the incisor teeth, occupying the entire lumen of the esophagus. The chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed a lesion of 7 cm and superior mediastinal, lower paraesophageal and cardiac enlarged lymph nodes. A posterolateral thoracotomy was performed with total esophagectomy without intraoperative complications. The anatomopathological analysis revealed fusocellular mesenchymal neoplasia of low malignancy potential. The immunohistochemical study showed positivity for S-100 protein and KI67 antibodies and absence of staining for CD117, CD34, ALK protein, SMA and Desmin. Thus, the morphological and immunohistochemical findings pointed to the diagnosis of esophageal Schwannoma.

DISCUSSION

Although rare and indolent, Schwannoma occurs in the peripheral nervous system, being uncommon in the esophagus.

CONCLUSION

The immunohistochemical study is essential for the diagnosis, which is based on the positivity for S-100 protein and absence of staining for CD34 and CD117.

Colonic Schwannoma: A Case Study and Literature Review of a Rare Entity and Diagnostic Dilemma

An asymptomatic 73-year-old woman was found to have a submucosal mass in the descending colon on routine colonoscopy. A CT scan revealed a 31 X 28 X 31 mm lesion in the same location. Previous biopsy proved to be nondiagnostic, and the patient underwent a laparoscopic descending colon resection. Histologic evaluation of the tumor revealed a low grade spindle cell neoplasm with strong, diffuse positivity for S-100 protein by immunohistochemistry, leading to the diagnosis of schwannoma. A review of the literature revealed intestinal schwannoma to be a rare disease entity, with only about 50 cases previously reported.

Schwannoma of the colon: A case report and review of the literature

Colonic schwannomas are rare gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors, and only a limited number of cases has been reported. The occurrence of these tumors is less common in the large intestine than in the stomach. The present study reports a case of colonic schwannoma in a 62-year-old female patient with no specific symptoms. The patient was diagnosed with a mass in the ascending colon by colonoscopy and abdominal computed tomography scanning. A right hemicolectomy was performed. The postoperative pathological diagnosis was ascending schwannoma. This case is noteworthy as colonic schwannomas are rare and are typically treated as colon cancer. No recurrence of the lesion was observed after 24 months of follow-up.

Thromboelastography Does Not Detect Preinjury Antiplatelet Therapy in Acute Trauma Patients

Thromboelastography (TEG) with platelet mapping has been proposed as an assay to detect the presence of antiplatelet agents (APA), yet no study has evaluated TEG markers of platelet dysfunction in acute trauma patients stratified by the use of preinjury APA. We hypothesized that patients on preinjury APA would demonstrate prolonged TEG markers of platelet dysfunction compared with those not on preinjury APA. This retrospective review evaluated all trauma patients admitted to a Level I trauma center from February 2011 to April 2013 who received a TEG within the first 24 hours of admission. Patients were classified as receiving preinjury APA or no APA if their documented medications included either aspirin or adenosine diphosphate (ADP) antagonists, including clopidogrel, prasugrel, and ticagrelor. A total of 129 patients were included (APA, n = 35; no APA n = 94) in the study. The time from admission to the first TEG was similar (APA 175 ± 289 minutes versus no APA 216 ± 321 minutes, P = 0.5). There was no significant difference in TEG markers of platelet dysfunction, including per cent ADP inhibition (APA 61.7 ± 25.8% versus no APA 62.3 ± 28.8%; P = 0.91) or per cent arachidonic acid inhibition (APA 58.2 ± 31% versus no APA 53.8 ± 34%; P = 0.54). Both groups had similar proportion of severe platelet dysfunction, defined as ADP inhibition greater than 70 per cent (APA 40% versus no APA 40%; P = 0.8) and arachidonic acid inhibition greater than 70 per cent (APA 40% versus no APA 39%; P = 0.89). In conclusion, platelet dysfunction after major trauma is common. Therefore, TEG alone should not be used to evaluate for the presence of APA due to apparent lack of specificity.

Gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumors: a clinical review

PURPOSE

Gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumors (GANTs) are believed to be rare accounting for 1 % of all malignant gastrointestinal tumors. Many gastrointestinal surgeons and gastroenterologists are unaware of this entity. This review aims to highlight the salient clinical features and prognosis of GANTs.

METHODS

Using the common search engines and manual cross-referencing, a search of the English literature was conducted for "gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumor."

RESULTS

All of the published literature on GANTs is either case reports or small case series. From 49 retrieved articles, a total of 107 GANT cases were collected with a mean age of 54 years and equal male to female preponderance. The most commonly affected site was small bowel followed by stomach. Esophageal and colorectal GANTs were less frequent. Clinical presentation was variable ranging from non-specific symptoms, abdominal pain, weight loss, iron-deficiency anemia, to obstruction and gastrointestinal bleeding. Acute presentation due to free rupture or perforation with subsequent peritonitis was extremely rare. Endoscopic and radiological investigations were valuable in tumor localization and determination of distant spread. Thirteen patients were lost to or had no follow-up, leaving 94 patients for long-term outcome analysis. All patients were treated by radical surgical resection of the involved organ as this offered the only hope of cure. Local recurrence, metastases, or both developed in 40 % of cases despite radical surgical resection. Resection for local recurrences and hepatic metastases was feasible in some selected cases. Response to adjuvant chemoradiation was poor and imatinib mesilate was effective in cases of metastatic or inoperable CD117-positive GANTs.

CONCLUSION

Radical surgical resection of GANTs is the mainstay of treatment. The aggressive behavior after radical resection coined with the poor response to adjuvant chemotherapy call for the urgent need to develop new adjuvant therapies.

A case of benign schwannoma of the ascending colon treated with laparoscopic-assisted wedge resection

Isolated colonic schwannomas are rare gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors. Only a small number of cases have been reported. Occurrence of these tumors is more common in the stomach than in the large intestine. These spindle cell lesions are distinct from leiomyoma, leiomyosarcoma, and gastrointestinal stromal tumors because the tumor cells have a distinct immunophenotype, with strong diffuse positivity for S-100 and vimentin, as well as corroborative negative staining of CD117 and smooth muscle markers. We present a case of colonic schwannoma in a 70-year-old woman who had no specific symptoms. The patient was diagnosed with a submucosal tumor in the ascending colon on colonoscopy and abdominal computed tomography. Laparoscopic-assisted wedge resection of colon was performed. The very rare pathologic diagnosis of ascending schwannoma was made postoperatively. This case is interesting because schwannomas of the colon and rectum are extremely rare and are treated by laparoscopic-assisted wedge resection.

Gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumor of the stomach

Patient: Female, 32

Final Diagnosis: Gastrintestinal Autonomic Nerve Tumor (GANT)

Symptoms: anemia • anorexia • fatigue • fever • hearburn • nausea • weight loss

Medication: —

Clinical Procedure: —

Specialty: Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Schwannoma of the Colon

Schwannomas are neoplasms originating from Schwann cells, which are the cells forming nerve sheaths. These neoplasms generally involve peripheral nerves. They rarely affect the gastrointestinal tract and primary colon involvement is extremely rare. The objective of the present paper was to present a case of primary schwannoma of the sigmoid colon, unassociated with von Recklinghausen disease, that was histopathologically confirmed by means of an immunohistochemical panel. The patient was a 71-year-old woman who had had rectal bleeding when evacuating, with pain and tenesmus, for 4 months. She underwent colonoscopy, which identified a raised submucous lesion of 2.8 cm in diameter, located in the sigmoid colon, 30 cm from the anal margin. During examination, loop polypectomy with lesion excision was performed. Histopathological evaluation showed that this was a tumor of stromal origin. Its resection margins were compromised by neoplasia, and colon resection by means of videolaparoscopy was indicated. Conventional histopathological examination using the hematoxylin-eosin technique suggested that the neoplasm was of mesenchymal origin. An immunohistochemical panel was run for etiological confirmation, using anti-CD34 antibodies, desmin, cytokeratins (AE1/AE3), cKit, chromogranin and S-100 protein. The panel showed intense immunoexpression of S-100 protein. Investigation of the proliferative activity rate using Ki-67 antibodies showed that there was a low rate of mitotic activity, thus confirming the diagnosis of primary benign schwannoma of the colon. The patient's postoperative evolution was uneventful and she remains in good health, without signs of tumor recurrence, 15 months after surgical excision.

Distinguishing gastrointestinal stromal tumors from their mimics: an update

Since the discovery of activating KIT mutations in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) in 1998 and the subsequent demonstration that some malignant GISTs respond to targeted therapy with imatinib, it has become increasingly important for pathologists to correctly diagnose GISTs and separate them from their potential mimics in the gastrointestinal tract and abdominal cavity. Some mesenchymal tumors, such as leiomyomas of the muscularis mucosae, are easily distinguished from GIST on the basis of their anatomic location and morphologic appearance. Others, such as gastrointestinal schwannomas, can significantly overlap with GIST in their gross appearance and morphology and require a panel of immunostains for correct diagnosis. This article will review the most common mimics of GISTs: desmoid tumors, smooth muscle tumors (leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas), gastrointestinal schwannomas, inflammatory fibroid polyps, and solitary fibrous tumors. Pertinent differences between each of these tumors and GIST in terms of gross appearance, histologic features, and immunophenotype will be emphasized. It is important to separate GISTs from these potential mimics because their treatment and prognosis can differ markedly.

Isolated cervical esophageal reconstruction for rare esophageal tumors

BACKGROUND

Isolated defects in the cervical esophagus in patients who have not undergone total laryngectomy are uncommon. We report 2 cases of rare esophageal tumors requiring reconstruction of the cervical esophagus after tumor resection.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The patients were a 51-year-old woman with an esophageal granular cell tumor and a 54-year-old woman with an esophageal schwannoma. Both defects were reconstructed with a radial forearm flap. A small subclinical leak developed in 1 patient and healed spontaneously within 2 weeks. At 1 year and 2 years of follow-up, both patients were consuming a normal diet and had normal voices.

CONCLUSIONS

A thin and well-vascularized flap such as the radial forearm flap is essential for reconstructing an isolated cervical esophageal defect so as to maximize functional outcome.

Gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumours--report of a case and review of literature

BACKGROUND

Gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumours are uncommon stromal tumours of the intestinal tract. They can involve any part of the gastrointestinal system, but are very rarely seen in the rectum.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report a unique case of rectal schwannoma with associated synchronous adenocarcinoma of the splenic flexure and adenoma of the descending colon. A 70-year-old patient was admitted with complaint of bleeding per rectum and investigations revealed the presence of a large submucosal rectal lesion in addition to the colonic pathologies. Following panproctocolectomy with permanent spout ileostomy, histopathology and immunohistochemistry confirmed the rectal lesion to be a schwannoma.

CONCLUSION

Literature review of the few reported cases has suggested radical surgical excision to be the best approach. Prognosis tends to be favourable after resection.

Benign esophageal schwannoma: report of a case

We report herein the case of an otherwise asymptomatic 62-year-old woman who was found to have an incidental esophageal lesion during endoscopic follow-up of an unrelated disorder. An esophageal submucosal tumor was diagnosed, and the patient was subsequently monitored on a regular yearly basis. As the diameter of the tumor doubled over a 4-year period, the possibility of a malignant lesion could not be excluded, and she was admitted to our hospital for further investigations. Esophagography, endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasonography, and computed tomography confirmed a submucosal tumor, 35 mm in length, in the thoracic midesophagus. A leiomyoma or leiomyosarcoma was suspected based on the known incidence of such tumors, and tumor enucleation was performed. Gross inspection revealed a solid tumor arising from the wall of the esophagus. Histopathologic examination showed intertwined bundles of spindle cells with spiral-like proliferation, and immunohistochemical studies were positive for S-100 protein, whereby a diagnosis of esophageal schwannoma was established. The patient experienced no postoperative complications, and her clinical course to date has been satisfactory. To date, 2 years 8 months after surgery, she has shown no sign of tumor recurrence and remains in good health.

Esophageal Plexiform Schwannoma

We report a patient with a plexiform schwannoma located in the cervical part of the esophagus. A large pedunculated intraluminal polyp, originating in the postcricoid region and protruding into the oropharynx, was found in association with multiple submucosal nodules. Both the intraluminal polyp and submucosal nodules consisted of cellular schwannomatous tissue. The patient showed no signs of neurofibromatosis or schwannomatosis. Plexiform schwannomas are uncommon tumors, mainly confined to the dermis and subcutis of trunk, head, and neck region and upper extremities. Visceral examples are vanishingly rare, and a location in the esophagus has not yet been described. The intruiging mode of presentation in the present case, mimicking that of so-called giant esophageal fibrovascular polyp, probably relates to mechanical factors inherent to the unique esophageal location, Int J Surg Pathol 8(4):353-357, 2000

Esophageal schwannoma

A rare case of esophageal schwannoma is presented. A 63-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a 5-year history of dysphagia. The barium esophagogram showed a protrusive smooth tumor in the upper thoracic esophagus. The tumor was removed through right thoracotomy. There was no anatomical relationship between the tumor and vagal nerve trunk. From pathologic findings and positive immunohistochemical staining for S-100 protein, the diagnosis of esophageal schwannoma was made.