Granular cell tumor of the breast: a case report and review of literature

Abstract

A 22-year-old female patient presented with a breast mass lesion with a clinical suspicion of a fibroadenoma. Histological evaluation revealed a rare benign neoplasm - granular cell tumor.

Granular cell tumor is rare neoplasm that may arise in virtually any body site, and in 5% it occurs in the breast. The histogenesis of this tumor is still rather controversial and currently the most acceptable theory is a Schwann cell origin. The main histological feature is granular cytoplasm of the tumor cells.

From a clinical point of view there is a similarity between granular cell tumor and mammary carcinoma on mammography and ultrasound. Pathohistologically, sometimes, differential diagnostic difficulties exist concerning apocrine carcinoma, histiocytic lesions and metastatic neoplasms.