Granular cell tumor of the bronchus

Abstract

Persistent atelectasis and recurrent pneumonia in the same location should raise suspicion of congenital anomalies or obstructing lesions of the bronchus leading to the affected area. We present an 8-year-old black female with a history of recurrent fever, cough, atelectasis of the right middle and lower lobes, and weight loss for several months. Flexible bronchoscopy revealed a polypoid mass obstructing the bronchus intermedius. Biopsy of the neoplasm demonstrated a granular cell tumor (GCT). The patient had a lobectomy of the right lower and middle lobes. She had no recurrence of the tumor after several years of follow-up.

Bronchial granular cell tumor in a child: impact of diagnostic delay on the type of surgical resection

“…They have been found throughout the body but occur, most commonly, in the tongue, skin, and breast, with tracheobronchial tree involvement being an uncommon location [1,3]. Only 6% of all BGCTs occur endobronchially [4].…”

“…Pulmonary GCTs tend to occur in middle-aged patients and are extremely rare in childhood [1,2]. They have been found throughout the body but occur, most commonly, in the tongue, skin, and breast, with tracheobronchial tree involvement being an uncommon location [1,3].…”

“…The usual presentation of BGCTs includes pneumonia, atelectasis, cough, and hemoptysis owing to the obstruction of the involved bronchi. However, in a recent study, about half of the adults with BGCT were asymptomatic [6], whereas most BGCTs in children are symptomatic [1], as was our patient with recurrent pneumonia. Although cough has been described as the prominent symptom in adults, repeated pneumonia, cough, or bloody sputum have been reported in both children and adults [1,7].…”

“…Bronchial granular cell tumor is a benign primary pulmonary lesion that is rarely encountered in children [1]. It commonly presents with symptoms and signs related to obstruction of the involved bronchi and atelectasis of the lung distal to the tumor.…”

Endobronchial chondromatous hamartoma in an infant

“…1 Primary pulmonary, tracheal, or bronchial tumors are very unusual in children. 2,3 In this report, we describe an infant with an endobronchial chondromatous hamartoma obstructing the right main bronchus. This infant presented with cough, wheezing, and unilateral hyperinflation of the right lung.…”