Intratumoral fat in neurofibroma

Abstract

Three cases of a solitary neurofibroma showing focal fatty changes are reported. Fatty changes in a neurofibroma are rarely observed and have not been reported, and also, the pathogenesis of neurofibroma has not been clarified. We postulate that the fatty changes in a neurofibroma may be the result of so-called senescent change or chronic injury. The origin of adipose cells may be attributable to fatty infiltration from abutting tissues or to a metaplasia of tumor cells or resident fibroblasts.