Medical & Clinical Research

Author(s): Lena Marinova, Vaska Vassileva, Iliya Gabrovski, Bistra Yordanova

Schwannoma is a benign, encapsulated, slow-growing and generally solitary tumour that arise from Schwann cells of the peripheral nerve sheath. Sinonasal schwannoma is a rare entity represent less than four percent of all tumors in the head and neck area. We present our clinical observations in a 57-year-old woman with a locally advanced sinonasal schwannoma, originating in the sphenoid sinus and infiltrating ethmoid cells, the nasal cavity and the left retrobulbar space. Histopathological and immunohistochemical examination confirmed the diagnosis. Differential diagnosis requires a broad immunohistochemical analysis that will differentiate schwannoma from other benign and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Our clinical observations show that the only effective treatment of patients with schwannoma is a radical tumor surgery, as it concerns an extremely radioresistance benign tumor.