Nerve sheath tumors affect the peripheral nervous system and can be benign or malignant. Schwannomas and neurofibromas are the most common types, with the former being almost always benign. Neurofibrosarcomas are rare and typically diagnosed by biopsy. The cause of these tumors is unknown, but they are often found in individuals with neurofibromatosis. Treatment involves surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, with a chance of regrowth. These tumors also affect dogs and some fish.
There are different types of nerve sheath tumors, also known as peripheral nerve sheath tumors. The most common types of these tumors are benign tumors, schwannoma and neurofibroma. Malignant or cancerous tumors of the peripheral nerve sheath are called neurofibrosarcomas and are very rare.
Nerve sheath tumors affect the peripheral nervous system, which is the part of the central nervous system that connects nerves in the rest of the body to the spinal cord and brain. Tumors develop on the cells surrounding the nerves. These tumors most commonly affect the arms and legs.
Schwannomas are a type of nerve sheath tumor. They are composed of Schwann cells, which are the cells that make up the protective covering of the nerve. These are almost always benign tumors. Less than 1% of schwannoma tumors become cancerous. However, the tumors are not harmless and can cause nerve or bone damage as they grow and push against nerve fibers.
Another type of nerve sheath tumors are neurofibromas. Like schwannoma tumors, neurofibroma tumors are typically benign and made up of Schwann cells. The Schwann cells in these tumors, however, show a classic inactivation of the neurofibromatosis gene, which basically means that there is a slight genetic difference. Another difference between schwannomas and neurofibromas is that the former are made up of Schwann cells only, while neurofibromas are made up of many different types of cells.
Schwannomas and neurofibromas can develop into a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor. This is called neurofibrosarcoma. Fortunately, the chances of developing this cancerous tumor are quite rare. They usually form in deep soft tissue, most commonly in the sciatic nerve, sacral plexus, and brachial plexus. Neurofibrosarcomas are typically diagnosed by a biopsy after the patient experiences pain symptoms.
The exact cause of nerve sheath tumors remains unknown. They are usually found in individuals with genetically inherited neurofibromatosis. Tumors are treated with surgery and, if cancerous, they are treated with chemotherapy and sometimes radiation. Even when all traces of nerve sheath tumors have been removed, there is always a chance for regrowth.
Humans aren’t the only animals affected by nerve sheath tumors. These types of tumors have been found in dogs and some types of fish. These tumors, however, are much more common in humans than in other animals. Dogs usually develop these tumors late in life, while humans are diagnosed at an average age of 35.
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