NEUROFIBROMA OF THE STOMACH : REPORT OF A CASE

—DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS BETWEEN NEUROFIBROMA AND SCHWANNOMA—

Abstract

A 43-years-old woman visited a clinic because of epigastric dyscomfort. Physical examination and laboratory data were normal. An upper gastrointestinal series and endoscopic examination revealed a polypoid tumor on the greater curvature of the lower gastric body. Biopsy speciemens obtained from this polyp were normal mucosa. We performed ethanol injection method, but could not obtain the tumor tissue. At lapalatory, a 1.0×1.0cm tumor was found at the submucosa and muscularis of the stomach. There was no capsule but the lesion was well cicumscribed. Microscopically, the tumor cells were fusiform and are arranged in this cords. The intercellular component of a tumor was composed of numerous collagen fibrils and a nonorganized matrix which stained with alcian blue for monopolysaccharides. The tumor cells showed immunoreactivity to S-100 protein and neuron-specific enolase (NSE). The gross and microscopic features of neurofibroma as well as its natural history are distinct from those of schwannoma. In some instances, the differential diagnosis may be difficult. It is nesessary to differentiate between neurofibroma and schwannoma.