Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Arising in Association With the Sural Nerve

• Published in: The Journal of foot and ankle surgery Vol. 45; no. 1; pp. 38 - 41
• Main Authors: Nicklas, Bonnie J., Smith, Angela D., Wolff, Richard D., Johnson, Felicia A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Baltimore, MD Elsevier Inc 2006; Data Trace
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Female; foot; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; malignant; Medical sciences; Nerve Sheath Neoplasms - pathology; Nerve Sheath Neoplasms - surgery; Neurology; peripheral nerve tumor; Soft Tissue Neoplasms - pathology; Soft Tissue Neoplasms - surgery; sural nerve; Sural Nerve - pathology; Tumors of the nervous system. Phacomatoses; peripheral nerve tumor; malignant; foot; sural nerve; Peripheral nerve; Prognosis; Female; Benign neoplasm; Diagnosis; Woman; Human; Postoperative; Nervous system diseases; Multiple; Sarcoma; Neurinoma; Malignant tumor; Medical screening; Care; Foot; Case study; Treatment; Biopsy; Orthopedics; Soft tissue; Sural nerve; African American
• ISSN: 1067-2516; 1542-2224
• DOI: 10.1053/j.jfas.2005.10.002

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor is a rare sarcoma of peripheral nerves found most often in deep soft tissue. This aggressive tumor is difficult to diagnose clinically and must be surgically excised for therapy. An incisional biopsy will allow for testing and in most cases, diagnosis. The authors present a case of a 39-year-old African American woman with malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor in association with the sural nerve. The tumor was surgically removed and sent for pathologic studies. The patient reported to her first postoperative appointment and was referred to an oncologist for follow-up. Despite multiple attempts at contacting the patient and explaining the prognosis of the diagnosis, the patient refused further follow-up care including referral to an oncologist.