Gastric schwannoma. Clinical and pathologic considerations.

Solitary gastric schwannomas are rare clinical entities. Presented are three cases encountered in a single hospital in a 4.5-year period. Solitary gastric schwannomas represent a small percentage of schwannomas and a small percentage of gastric tumors. These tumors are usually asymptomatic and may present as upper gastrointestinal bleeding or as mass lesions. Upper endoscopy is important in the initial evaluation of these patients. Pathologic diagnosis is based on features of palisading nuclei, spindle-cell morphology, and hyalinized vessels. Immunohistochemical stains and electron microscopy may be helpful for diagnosis. Complete excision of the tumor is adequate treatment. The risks of coexistent malignancies have not been stressed, but this association may be important; therefore, we recommend a diligent search for other tumors. Prognosis following treatment is good.