THE SCHWANNOMA - AN UNCOMMON TYPE OF CYSTIC LESION OF THE PANCREAS

Schwannomas of the pancreas are rare and their number is lower than is usually reported in the literature since some were probably neurofibr omas. We report a further case characterized by cystic feature, clinic ally mimicking a pancreatic pseudocyst. Cystic lesions of the pancreas also comprise the schwannomas, both benign or malignant, as has been previously reported and is stressed by the present case. Cyst formatia n characterizes many diseases of the pancreas, both neoplastic and not . Difficulties in the differential diagnosis of cysts are fortunately reduced by the preponderance of pseudocysts (i.e. nonneoplastic cysts) and, among neoplastic ones, of cystadenomas and cystadenocarcinomas. As a consequence, uncommon cystic neoplasms are neglected and very oft en misdiagnosed. We reported a case of solitary schwannoma mimicking a pancreatic pseudocyst, interesting both because of its rarity and bec ause of its cystic feature which was previously reported in the litera ture but not emphasized.