CUTANEOUS GANGLIONEUROMAS - A CASE-REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

The occurrence of ganglioneuromas outside the sympathetic chains of th e mediastinum and abdomen in the nonpediatric age group is rare. We re port the case of a solitary cutaneous ganglioneuroma on the abdomen of a 52-year-old woman. The lesion, which had been present for 20 years, measured 1.2 cm in greatest dimension. Unmyelinated axons, Schwann ce lls, and scattered mature ganglion cells were identified by histochemi stry, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy. Only three simila r cases have been reported in the literature to date. Ganglioneuromas have also been reported as mature components of metastatic neuroblasto mas and in association with plexiform neurofibromas, neither of which was present in this case, The pathogenesis of this lesion is unclear; however, aberrant migration of neural crest elements is the most likel y explanation. The possible trophic role of sex steroids is also discu ssed. Although no follow-up series exist, local excision should be cur ative considering the small size and histologically benign appearance of the lesion. Copyright (C) 1996 by W.B. Saunders Company.