MALIGNANT SCHWANNOMA OF THE INFERIOR DENTAL NERVE

Malignant schwannomas of the oral cavity and especially inferior denta l nerve tumours, are rare malignancies. Mostly arising de novo as soli tary tumours, some cases have occurred in Von Recklinghausen neurofibr omatosis (25% of cases) or, as in the present report, at the time of a relapse by transformation of a benign schwannoma. Long survival is on ly observed in selected early diagnosed patients additionally treated by extended surgery. Support of magnetic resonance imaging and immunoh istological techniques in diagnosis are stressed. Advances in reconstr uctive surgical devices after debulking surgery have contributed to en hance the performance of more curative procedures (hemimandibulectomy, intra oral resections) and to improve the functional and esthetic res ults in these bad prognosis nerve tumours of the oral cavity.