A rare submucosal gastric tumor: Gastric schwannoma

Abstract

Schwannomas, which arise from the Schwann cells of the neural plexus on the gastric wall, are slow-growing, generally asymptomatic and frequently benign neoplasms. Gastric schwannomas account for only 0.2% of all gastric tumors. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) should firstly be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis of submucosal mass lesions originating from the gastric wall. Gastric schwannomas and GISTs are generally seen in middle-aged patients and they have similar clinical characteristics. Surgical resection is the selected treatment method for gastric schwannomas. Definitive diagnosis is achieved through histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses. The aim of this study was to present the case of a patient who had presented with anemia symptoms, received laparoscopic resection because of gastric submucosal mass lesion, and diagnosed with gastric schwannoma.