Chest wall schwannoma presenting as a solitary malignant lesion: a case report

BACKGROUND: Chest wall schwannomas are rare tumors arising from the intercostals nerves. Schwannomas are lobulated, encapsulated spherical masses, different from neurofibromas in that matter. Men and women are equally affected in their third and fourth decades. CASE PRESENTATION: A 42 year old female presented with a 6 month history of progressively worsening pain over the right shoulder and chest wall, aggravated by movement and with associated right arm oedema and paraesthesia. She believed mild symptoms began 2 years prior to presentation. The histopathological examination revealed a benign lesion; a schwannoma with degenerative changes. The section revealed a benign nerve sheath tumor characterized by a proliferation of band spindle cells arranged in fascicles and variable cellularity and associated with dilated and think walled blood vessels. CONCLUSION: Chest wall schwannomas are rare; they mimic chest wall malignant lesions.