Schwannoma of tongue: a clinicopathologic study of 34 cases and review of published literature

BACKGROUND: Schwannomas are exceedingly rare in the tongue. Here, we report clinicopathological features of tongue schwannomas diagnosed at the section of Histopathology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Karachi, Pakistan and reviewed the published literature. METHODS: Retrospective study of 34 tongue schwannomas diagnosed between 2011 and 2024. Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) and immunohistochemical (IHC) slides were reviewed. Demographic and clinical data were obtained. RESULTS: There was a slight female preponderance. Mean age was 30 years. Commonest sites were lateral borders and base of tongue. All tumors were surgically excised. Average tumor size was 2 cm. Histologically, 30 tumors exhibited classical features of schwannoma, while 4 were cellular. On IHC, strong and diffuse positivity of S100 protein and SOX10 was seen. No recurrences were reported in the cases where follow-up was available. None of the 34 cases had clinical features suggestive of Neurofibromatosis. CONCLUSIONS: Schwannomas although rare, should be included in the differential diagnosis of tongue masses. Early recognition and surgical excision result in excellent outcomes.