Granular cell tumor in the breast mimicking breast carcinoma

JBR-BTR. 2014 Sep-Oct;97(5):289-90. doi: 10.5334/jbr-btr.1331.

Abstract

Granular cell tumor is also known as a granular cell myoblastoma, Abrikossoff's tumor, granular cell nerve sheath tumor or granular cell scwhannoma. It is a rare soft-tissue mass that can develop in any soft tissue. Most commonly it appears in the tongue (40%), the oral cavity or in the subcutaneous tissue. In rare occasions it is reported as a breast mass, mimicking a carcinoma. Not only clinically, but also on mammography, ultrasonography and macroscopically. Diagnosis can only be made on histology, emphasizing once again the importance of a thorough pre-operative multi-disciplinary assessment. We describe a case in which a woman presents herself with a palpable nodule in the breast in which clinical investigation, mammography and especially sonography indicated the presence of a malignancy. Only after we conducted a core biopsy for pre-operative histological investigation, we could make the diagnosis of a granular cell tumor, preventing an unnecessary mastectomy. The patient refused however local excision and was followed up with mammography and sonography.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biopsy
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Granular Cell Tumor / diagnosis*
  • Granular Cell Tumor / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Mammography / methods
  • Ultrasonography, Mammary / methods