Epithelioid Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Arising in a Schwannoma, in a Patient With “Neuroblastoma-like” Schwannomatosis and a Novel Germline SMARCB1 Mutation

Epithelioid malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors arising in preexisting schwannomas are extremely rare. We report an unusual example occurring in a patient with multiple schwannomas (schwannomatosis), all but 1 of which showed "neuroblastoma-like" histology. By immunohistochemistry, both the epithelioid malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor and the schwannomas showed a complete loss of the Smarcb1 protein. Subsequent genetic evaluation revealed the presence of a novel germline mutation in the SMARCB1/INI1 gene in the patient and in 3 of her children, 2 of whom were diagnosed with atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors of the brain.