SCHWANNOMA

Course overview

SCHWANNOMAS (ALSO KNOWN AS NEUROMAS, NEURINOMAS "OF VEROCAY" AND NEURILEMMOMAS) ARE BENIGN, WELL-ENCAPSULATED, SLOW-GROWING NERVE SHEATH TUMORS THAT ARE COMPOSED EXCLUSIVELY OF SCHWANN CELLS. THE TUMOR CAN ORIGINATE FROM ANY MYELINATED CENTRAL OR PERIPHERAL NERVE WITH SCHWANN CELLS. THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION CLASSIFIES SCHWANNOMA AS A GRADE I BENIGN TUMOR. SCHWANNOMAS ARE SOLITARY IN 90% OF THE CASES. THE MULTIPLE OCCURRENCES IN THE SAME PATIENT SHOULD BRING ATTENTION TO SYNDROMIC ASSOCIATIONS (NEUROFIBROMATOSIS TYPE 2, SCHWANNOMATOSIS, AND CARNEY COMPLEX). THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF SCHWANNOMA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE HEALTHCARE TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.