Supratentorial intracerebral schwannomas

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Neurosurgery
• Oncology

Background:

• Intracerebral schwannomas are rare tumors arising from Schwann cells within the brain parenchyma.
• Supratentorial locations are uncommon, with frontotemporal regions being particularly infrequent.
• Epilepsy is a recognized presenting symptom, but its prevalence in intracerebral schwannomas requires further elucidation.

Observation:

• A case report of a 16-year-old female with a frontotemporal intracerebral schwannoma.
• The patient presented with a 3-year history of epilepsy and progressive hemiparesis.
• Histological diagnosis and potential origins of the tumor were investigated.

Findings:

• Review of six cases (including the current one) of supratentorial intracerebral schwannoma.
• All patients presented with early-onset epilepsy.
• No association with neurofibromatosis was observed in any of the reviewed cases.

Implications:

• Highlights epilepsy as a significant early clinical manifestation of supratentorial intracerebral schwannomas.
• Suggests that intracerebral schwannomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis of epilepsy, even without typical neurofibromatosis stigmata.
• Contributes to understanding the clinical spectrum and diagnostic considerations for rare brain tumors.