Peripheral neck nerve tumors are rare and mostly benign neoplasms. The exceptional malignant forms are very aggressive, and diagnosis is difficult. The objective of this study was to evaluate diagnostic and therapeutic management and identify possible predictive factors.

A retrospective study was conducted of 73 patients treated for peripheral neck nerve tumor between 1995 and 2015.

Mean age was 44years. The main presenting symptom was a cervical mass, isolated or associated with signs related to the affected nerve structure. Diagnosis was suspected by slow progression of a firm mass, featuring T1 hyposignal and T2 hypersignal on magnetic resonance imaging. Surgery was performed in 99% of cases, completed by adjuvant chemotherapy in case of malignant neuroblastic tumor. Type 1 neurofibromatosis and sudden increase in mass with or without associated pain suggested malignant transformation. Age below 10years suggested neuroblastic tumor.

Neck nerve tumors are very often benign with low degenerative potential. Surgery is the treatment of choice after risk/benefit analysis. However, there is no clearly defined consensus regarding the timing of surgery for these lesions.