Neurilemmoma is a benign tumor that grows on the myelin sheath around nerves in the head, neck, arms, and legs. Symptoms include pain, numbness, and tingling. It is associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 and can be diagnosed through scans and biopsy. Surgery is only necessary if the tumor causes discomfort.
A neurilemmoma is a benign tumor that typically grows on the myelin sheath around nerves in the head and neck, or in the nerves associated with flexion in the arms and legs. A tumor is a lesion caused by the abnormal growth of cells, and a benign tumor is a tumor that is unlikely to progress or become cancerous, as opposed to a malignant tumor. Neurilemmoma is thought to result from Schwann cells, the cells that line the axons of neurons in the peripheral nervous system and help conduct nerve impulses. The peripheral nervous system includes all nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.
Patients with neurilemmoma often do not notice any symptoms for an average of five years. Once they begin to notice symptoms, it’s usually because the tumor has become large enough to see or feel, or large enough that it begins to compress the nerve. If the tumor is palpable, it will often be tender to touch. The neurilemmoma can also start causing pain due to nerve compression syndrome, also called compressive neuropathy, or more commonly, pinched nerve. Symptoms of this could include muscle weakness, numbness, pain, or a tingling sensation.
Neurilemmomas are particularly associated with thoracic outlet syndrome, in which the nerves between the upper rib and collarbone become compressed. This can cause pain in the head and neck and numbness in the fingers. Similarly, a tumor along the sciatic nerve can lead to lower back pain, very close symptomatically to a slipped disc. A neurilemmoma can also be the underlying cause of carpal tunnel syndrome or tarsal tunnel syndrome.
Although considered the most common neurogenic tumor, the exact amount of people with neurilemmomas is unknown. The cause of these tumors is also unknown, although it has been associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1), formerly known as von Recklinghausen’s disease. NF-1 is an inherited disease caused by a malfunction of the gene responsible for cell division. It tends to occur in people between the ages of 20 and 50, and there appears to be no difference in susceptibility based on gender or race.
A neurilemmoma can take the form of a schwannoma or a neurofibroma. They are both tumors of the peripheral nervous system and can occur anywhere in the body, but have slight differences. A Schwannoma only occurs in the lining of the neurons, while a neurofibroma has a deeper connection to the nerve, making it a little more difficult to remove surgically.
A doctor usually orders a few scans, such as a computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan to find the tumor and then take a biopsy of the tumor to make sure it’s not malignant. A neurlimmoma does not become cancerous except in extremely rare cases and does not need surgery unless the tumor is causing pain or discomfort. If surgery is needed, the tumor can usually be removed without causing too much damage to the nerve.
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