Gastric schwannoma treated by endoscopic full-thickness resection and endoscopic purse-string suture: A case report

BACKGROUND: Schwannomas, also known as neurinomas, are tumors that derive from Schwann cells. Gastrointestinal schwannomas are extremely rare, but the stomach is the most common site. Gastric schwannomas are usually asymptomatic. Endoscopy and imaging modalities might offer useful preliminary diagnostic information. However, to diagnose schwannoma, the immunohistochemical positivity for S-100 protein is essential, whereas CD117, CD34, SMA, desmin, and DOG-1 are negative. CASE SUMMARY: A 45-year-old female was found to have a gastric mass during a medical examination, which was diagnosed as a gastric schwannoma. We performed endoscopic full-thickness resection and endoscopic purse-string suture. Pathology and immunohistochemical staining confirmed the diagnosis of gastric schwannoma through the positivity of S-100 protein. Furthermore, to exclude the misdiagnosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumor, we performed a mutational detection of the c-Kit and PDGFRA genes. Postoperative follow-up revealed that the patient recovered well. CONCLUSION: Immunohistochemical staining is essential for the diagnosis of schwannoma. Endoscopic full-thickness resection is an effective treatment method for gastric schwannoma.