Year: 2026 | Month: August | Volume: 13 | Issue: 8 | Pages: 379-383
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20260837
An Unexpected Plot Twist of Soft Tissue Swelling: A Rare Case of Ancient Schwannoma of the Cheek
Dr. Rahul K1, Dr. Shivaswamy BS2, Dr. Kiran Kumar3
1,2,3Sapthagiri Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Center, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Corresponding Author: Dr. Rahul K
ABSTRACT
Schwannoma is an uncommon benign tumor arising from Schwann cells of the peripheral nervous system. Ancient schwannoma is a rare degenerative variant characterized by cystic degeneration, hemorrhage, myxoid stroma, pleomorphism, and nuclear hyperchromatism. We report a 30-year-old woman with a 10-year history of a right cheek swelling. Clinical examination revealed a solitary 4 × 5 cm, soft, mobile and non-tender swelling. Ultrasonography demonstrated a well-defined dumbbell-shaped soft-tissue lesion measuring 6 × 3.5 cm with anechoic cystic areas and internal vascularity, considered likely neoplastic. Fine-needle aspiration cytology showed cellular smears with nests and groups of basaloid cells with scant cytoplasm and round nuclei, without definite granuloma or atypia. The tumor was excised under general anesthesia through a right submandibular skin-crease incision. It was well encapsulated and easily separated from surrounding tissue. Histopathological examination confirmed ancient schwannoma. The patient remained asymptomatic at 5 months of follow-up. Awareness of the degenerative and atypical features of ancient schwannoma may help avoid misdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment.
Keywords: Ancient schwannoma; Schwannoma; Cheek swelling; Soft tissue tumor; Benign nerve sheath tumor
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