AIMTo study the clinical features of male genital schwannoma.

METHODSFive male patients with genital schwannoma admitted from 1991 to 2000 were reviewed. The lesions were located in the prostate, spermatic cord, testis or penis. Tumors were simply resected in 3 patients and radically eradicated in 2.

RESULTSThe average age of the cohort was 37 years. The most common sign at presentation was a palpable genital mass accidentally discovered by the patient or detected by the physician during a physical check. Diagnosis was made through postoperative pathological examination. Follow-up ranged from 2 years to 6 years (mean 4.5 years). Four cases were cured by simple excision and 1 patient with malignant testis schwannoma died of recurrence 1 year after surgery.

CONCLUSIONOwing to the lack of characteristic clinical manifestation, the final diagnosis relies on postoperative pathological examination. S-100 and vimentin are useful markers for the diagnosis of these tumors.