Intracerebral schwannoma: A case report and literature review

Intracranial schwannoma accounts for between 5 and 8% of intracranial tumors, whereas intracerebral schwannoma, a rare disease, accounts for <1% of intracranial schwannomas. In addition to the present case report, a total of 84 cases reported within China and elsewhere were reviewed and summarized, and the age of the tumor onset, the site of disease, imaging results, clinical presentation, pathological classification and prognosis were analyzed. The present case report described a 12-year-old female with an intracerebral schwannoma in the brainstem, who was followed-up for 5 years using magnetic resonance imaging after a surgical resection without recurrence, and clinical symptoms were reported to have completely resolved. The incidence of intracerebral schwannoma was low among cases, and the correct diagnosis was not able to be made preoperatively, and the majority of cases were diagnosed on the basis of postoperative pathology. The majority of cases analyzed were supratentorial, occurring at an age ≤40 according to previous literature. In addition, 33% of patients presented with subtentorial schwannoma, occurring at an age >40. The prognosis was classified as good (patient can live independently) for the majority of patients if surgery was able to completely resect the lesion.