Intraosseous nerve sheath tumors in the jaws

Abstract

Although the head and neck region is recognized as the most common location for peripheral nerve sheath tumors, central involvement, particularly in the jaw bones, is quite unusual. Neurofibroma is one of the most common nerve sheath tumors occurring in the soft tissue and generally appears in neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1 or von Recklinghausen's disease). Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are uncommon sarcomas that almost always arise in the soft tissue. Here, we report four cases of intraosseous peripheral nerve sheath tumors occurring in the jaw bones and compare the clinical, radiologic, and pathologic findings in order to make a differential diagnosis.