Schwannoma of head-and-neck region: A clinical chameleon – Report of two cases occurring at rare sites with unusual clinical manifestations

Schwannomas are rare benign encapsulated neoplasms that usually do not arise in the nasal and oral cavities. Only about 25% of the schwannomas are located in the head-and-neck region. The preoperative diagnosis of schwannomas in the head-and-neck region is difficult, as they present with varied clinical manifestations and have nonspecific radiological findings, which can lead to a diagnostic dilemma. We report two cases of schwannomas, one in the nasal cavity and the other in the tongue, that were considered to be an infective lesion and malignant lesion respectively on clinical evaluation. The biopsy and subsequent histopathological examination led to the diagnosis of schwannoma. It is important to be aware of the unusual clinical manifestations of schwannomas and keep it in the differential diagnoses, even at relatively uncommon sites such as the nasal and oral cavities. Lesions that are suspected to be infectious lesions or malignant lesions on clinical and/or radiological evaluation can also be schwannomas. Unnecessary diagnostic evaluations and radical therapeutic measures can be avoided with early diagnosis.