Multiple granular cell tumors (“myoblastomas”).Case report with electron microscopic observations and review of the literature

Abstract

A case of a 34‐year‐old woman with three histologically proven coincidental granular cell tumors is reported and documented with electron microscopic observations. The subject of multicentric occurrence of these rumors is reviewed in the literature and the available data and circumstances with a possible bearing on their nature are discussed. From the number of reviewed case reports (550) it appears that the occurrence of multiple granular cell tumors (36) is much more common (7 to 16%) than traditionally believed. Attention is drawn to their benign course. The precise histogenesis of these tumors and the chemical nature of the 160 to 240 Å vesicular units of the granules remain unknown. The authors conclude that the granular cells in this instance are of mesenchymal derivation and that the granules of these cells may represent the end result of an obscure metabolic alteration manifested by intracytoplasmic storage of protein and lipoid substances.

Ultrastructural Studies in Fetal I-cell Disease

“…The bodies are considered to be materials incompletely digested because of physiologic deficiencies of intralysosomal enzymes (4). Such cytoplasmic inclusions have also been reported to appear in granular cell tumor cells (2,12) and degenerating cells (4,13). In (-cell disease showing pathologic deficiencies of intralysosomal enzymes, however, residual body-like structures are numerous in cells which have no or few inclusions in normal tissues.…”

Granular cell tumor of the stellate ganglion presenting with Horner’s syndrome

“…Therefore, much of the literature about GCT has focused on further classifying these tumors, resulting in a paucity of surgical descriptions. Such debate has led to at least 20 synonymous descriptions of GCT since their first description [6]. As such, the study of these tumors seems to have been limited by their low frequency, inconsistent nomenclature and the evolving pathological criteria for diagnosis.…”

“…GCT frequently present asymptomatically but can present with pain or symptoms of mass effect if nerves or other vital structures are involved. Rarely, multiple GCT can occur synchronously [6]. The typical appearance of GCT on T1 and T2-weighted MRI sequences is intermediate in intensity (approximately isointense with brain) with marked homogeneous contrast enhancement [27,28].…”

“…However, these tumors rarely occur along nerves. Instead they tend to be found in widespread subcutaneous locations such as the tongue and abdominal viscera [1,5,6]. Only three patients with GCT involving the sympathetic nerves have been reported [7], all of which were identified in the posterior mediastinum.…”

Granular cell tumor of the penis: clinicopathologic evaluation of 9 cases

“…Concurrent or metachronous presentation of multiple GCTs is a well -documented phenomenon with a reported incidence ranging from 7% to 30% [8,9,[23][24][25][26]. Multiple GCTs arise mostly in cutaneous sites as well as in viscera, show a higher incidence among blacks, may rarely occur in families, and are histologically identical to their solitary counterparts.…”