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Cellular schwannoma

A clinicopathologic study of 29 cases

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Summary

A series of 29 cellular schwannomas is described in terms of their clinical presentation and course, light and electron-microscopic appearance, immunohistochemical properties and cytogenetics. The study indicates that cellular schwannoma can be defined as a subtype of classical schwannoma, characterized by spindle cells forming a compact fascicular, sometimes fibrosarcoma-like growth pattern, a low mitotic activity, a generally moderate nuclear and cellular polymorphism and a high degree of Schwann cell differentiation as seen by electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry. The tumour is characteristically located close to the vertebral column, in the mediastinum or retroperitoneum and has a benign course. Occasionally bone destruction and neurological symptoms develop. The clinical appearance together with the high cellularity, fascicular pattern and mitotic activity had led to the erroneous diagnosis of a soft tissue sarcoma in a few cases, and cellular schwannoma may thus be considered to be a pseudosarcoma. Immunohistochemically, cellular schwannomas appear to deviate from classical schwannomas and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours by their expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein. The chromosome analysis revealed a normal diploid stemline karyotype, with a variety of abnormal clones, including one with monosomy 22.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology II, Gothenburg University, Sahlgren Hospital, S-413 43, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Pär Lodding, Lars-Gunnar Kindblom & Lennart Angervall

  2. Department of Oral Pathology, Faculty of Odontology, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Göran Stenman

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  1. Pär Lodding
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  2. Lars-Gunnar Kindblom
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  3. Lennart Angervall
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  4. Göran Stenman
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Lodding, P., Kindblom, LG., Angervall, L. et al. Cellular schwannoma. Vichows Archiv A Pathol Anat 416, 237–248 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01678983

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01678983

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