Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath
Contact Information
Orthopaedic Oncology Service
Mass General - Boston
55 Fruit Street
Yawkey Building, Suite 3B
Boston,
MA
02114
Phone: 617-724-3700
Fax: 617-726-6823
Explore Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath
Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors (MPNST) are a type of malignant soft tissue sarcoma involving the nerves. The term MPNST replaces a number of previously used names including malignant schwannoma, neurofibrosarcoma, and neurogenic sarcoma.
The words 'malignant schwannoma' are also used to note that the tumor cells resemble Schwann cells. These tumors may arise within a preexisting benign schwannoma, especially in neurofibromatosis. This changing from benign to malignant is called malignant transformation. Ten percent of all soft tissue sarcomas are malignant schwannomas, and half of them are related to neurofibromatosis (NF or von Recklinghausen's disease). They occur more often in men who present with a large mass causing pain which radiates or travels down the extremity.
Examination of the tumor usually shows the nerve entering at the top of the tumor and existing at the bottom of the tumor. The tumor cells are shaped like commas and collect in a wavy, picket-fence type pattern. Wide excision with limb-sparing procedures or amputation are treatment options for malignant schwannomas, along with radiation and chemotherapy. Patients with tumors larger than 8 centimeters will undergo the MAID protocol, which can be seen on the liposarcoma page.
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- Acting Chief, Orthopaedic Oncology Service
- Program Director, Musculoskeletal Oncology Fellowship Program
- Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School
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Santiago Lozano-Calderon, MD, PhD
- Orthopaedic Oncology Surgeon
- Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School
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- Orthopaedic Oncology Surgeon
- Instructor in Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School
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- Chief, Orthopaedic Spine Surgery
- Director, Spine Oncology & Co-Director, Stephan L. Harris Chordoma Center
- Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School
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- Nurse Practitioner, Doctor of Nursing, Clinical Director for Orthopaedic Oncology Service
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- Inpatient Nurse Practitioner - Oncology
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