[Degenerative changes in schwannoma (neurilemmoma)].

We report on a 51-year-old male patient showing a slowly growing, pedunculated, hairless tumor on the back of his head. The tumor grew up to the size of 4.2 cm in diameter, before it was removed by surgery. Histological examination revealed the typical picture of an ancient schwannoma (degenerated neurilemmoma). In spite of its highly atypical nuclei, the biological behavior of ancient schwannoma is benign, and it must be differentiated from malignant tumors of the nerve sheath.