Uncommon Finding of a Soft Palate Schwannoma: A Case Report

Schwannomas are relatively slow-growing benign tumors of the nerve sheath. Approximately 25-40% of schwannomas occur in the head and neck region. However, schwannomas that present in the oral cavity are relatively rare, constituting around 1% of all described cases in the head and neck region. We report a case of a 20-year-old female who was found to have an intraoral palatal schwannoma. The patient presented with a painless swelling located on the right side of the soft palate. Investigations and management were commenced, and a computed tomography (CT) scan with contrast was done, which revealed cystic changes in a large soft palate mass lesion with a heterogeneous enhancement. The mass was surgically excised and sent for histopathological examination. The diagnosis of schwannoma was made due to the presence of the characteristic Antoni A and Antoni B areas. The immunohistochemical study done was positive for protein S-100. The postoperative follow-up went uneventful.