Recurrent Schwannoma of the Upper Lip: A Rare Case Report and Review of the Literature

Background Schwannomas are benign, slow-growing peripheral nerve sheath tumors derived from Schwann cells. Although they frequently occur in the head and neck, localization within the lip is exceedingly rare. Furthermore, delayed recurrence of an oral schwannoma is sparsely documented. Case Presentation A 29-year-old systemically healthy man presented with a 6-month history of a painless, progressive submucosal nodule of the upper lip. A histopathologically confirmed schwannoma had been surgically excised from the same anatomical site 5 years earlier. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a well-circumscribed, ovoid soft-tissue lesion measuring approximately 1.0 × 1.0 × 1.0 cm without local infiltration. Complete surgical excision was performed. Histopathological examination demonstrated characteristic biphasic spindle-cell proliferation with nuclear palisading and Verocay body formation. In conjunction with the previously documented histopathological diagnosis at the same site, the findings established a diagnosis of recurrent schwannoma. The patient remained recurrence-free at the 1-year follow-up. Conclusion Upper-lip schwannomas can clinically mimic benign salivary gland tumors and other common labial lesions. This case demonstrates the possibility of delayed recurrence after a 5-year clinically disease-free interval and highlights the importance of complete surgical excision and continued postoperative surveillance.