Schwannoma of the hard palate

Schwannomas are rare, benign neoplasms that can arise from any cranial, peripheral, or autonomic nerve that contains Schwann cells. Approximately 25% to 45% of all schwannomas occur in the head and neck. They occur most commonly in the eighth cranial nerve, but it has been reported that 20% to 58% arise in the oral cavity, with approximately 10% of these located on the hard palate. We report a case of schwannoma of the hard palate, present important pathologic considerations for diagnosis, and provide a review of the literature regarding extracranial schwannomas.