Extracranial neurogenic tumors of the head and neck.
BACKGROUND
Peripheric nerve tumors typically derive from Schwann cells of the peripheral nerve sheet. Since these tumors are uncommon, they should be considered in preoperative differential diagnosis.


OBJECTIVE
To report the experience of a tertiary care department.


METHODS
Forty-two patients with head and neck peripheral neurogenic tumors were retrospectively analyzed and evaluated from 1977 to 2013. The preoperative diagnosis was confirmed by biopsy or imaging study.


RESULTS
The mean age was 41.7 and 15 patients (36%) were male. The mean size was 5.5cm and 26 (61%) were located laterally in the neck. Most tumors (39.9%) presented as an asymptomatic neck mass. Most (39.9%) were resected through a neck approach. Cranial nerves were the commonest site of origin.


CONCLUSIONS
Extracranial neurogenic tumors presented with a mean size of 5.5cm, were located laterally in the neck, normally had their origin from cranial nerves, and their resection approach is cervical.
Faculdade de Ciências Médicas de Santos, Centro Universitário Lusíada (UNILUS), São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital Heliópolis, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Otávio Alberto
OA
Curioni
Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital Heliópolis, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Department of Radiology, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Department of Imaging Diagnosis, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Ricardo Pires
RP
de Souza
Service of Pathological Anatomy, Hospital Heliópolis, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Ana Maria da Cunha
AM
Mercante
Service of Pathological Anatomy, Hospital Heliópolis, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Ana Carolina
AC
de Jesus
Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital Heliópolis, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Alysson
A
Pavelegeni
Larynx Group, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: dedivitis@usp.br.
Rogério Aparecido
RA
Dedivitis
Department of Surgery, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Department of Health, Hospital Heliópolis, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Hospital São José da RBBP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Abrão
A
Rapoport
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D003390:Cranial Nerve Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D009455:Neurofibroma / Q000175:diagnosis; D017253:Neurofibromatoses / Q000175:diagnosis; D018319:Neurofibrosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D063128:Tertiary Health Care; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult
Head and neck neoplasms; Neoplasias de cabeça e pescoço; Neurilemmoma; Neurilemoma; Neurofibromatose; Neurofibromatoses; Neurofibromatosis; Neurofibrosarcoma; Neurofibrossarcoma