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A 38-year review of oral schwannomas and neurofibromas in a Brazilian population: clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical study

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Abstract

The benign peripheral nerve sheath tumours are rare lesions mainly represented by schwannoma and neurofibroma. The present work evaluated the clinical and histopathological features of schwannomas and neurofibromas of the oral cavity diagnosed in a Brazilian population. Among 9.000 cases of oral lesions archived from 1970 to 2008, four schwannomas and 12 neurofibromas were identified, microscopically revised and immunohistochemically certified through a panel including monoclonal antibodies (anti-S100, vimentin, HHF-35 and desmin). From biopsy and histological sections records, clinical and histopathological data were retrieved, reviewed and statistically analysed. Predominantly, schwannomas affected non-white males (3:1), with an age and size averages of 34.7 years and 2.8 cm, respectively. Neurofibromas preferentially occurred on the gingival/alveolar ridge of white females (5:1), with 35.7-year mean age, peak of incidence between 3rd and 5th decade, and size average of 1.7 cm. (12 cases, 75%). The studied tumours exhibited more frequently as a painless, sessile and slow growth very similar to other oral lesions, but their microscopic features differed significantly. Schwannomas and neurofibromas are extremely uncommon in the oral cavity, exhibiting clinical features very similar but specific and peculiar microscopic findings that are useful in the establishment of the diagnosis, which in some particular cases must be confirmed by immunohistochemistry.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oral Pathology Post-Graduation Program, Dentistry Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

    George João Ferreira do Nascimento, Hébel Cavalcanti Galvão, Antônio de Lisboa Lopes Costa & Lélia Batista de Souza

  2. Department of General Pathology, Histology and Embryology, Federal University of Amazonas, Coari, Amazonas, Brazil

    Danielle de Albuquerque Pires Rocha

  3. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia Oral, Departamento de Odontologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte-UFRN, Avenida Senador Salgado Filho, 1787, Lagoa Nova, Natal, RN, CEP: 59056-000, Brazil

    Lélia Batista de Souza

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  1. George João Ferreira do Nascimento
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Correspondence to Lélia Batista de Souza.

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do Nascimento, G.J.F., de Albuquerque Pires Rocha, D., Galvão, H.C. et al. A 38-year review of oral schwannomas and neurofibromas in a Brazilian population: clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical study. Clin Oral Invest 15, 329–335 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-010-0389-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-010-0389-7

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