Solitary neurofibroma of the anal canal: report of two cases.

Neurofibromas are benign nerve sheath tumors commonly found in patients afflicted with neurofibromatosis-1. In the absence of multiple neurofibromas or a diagnosis of neurofibromatosis-1, neurofibromas are referred to as solitary and have been reported to involve the skin, subcutaneous tissue, deep soft tissue, and viscera of almost all areas of the body. A neurofibroma involving the anal canal is a rare entity, with only one report in the literature. We present two cases in which large masses involving the anal canal of elderly females were locally resected and proved to be neurofibromas by histopathology. Although rare, these tumors should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with an anal mass, because resection alone is the treatment of choice.