Isolated intra-oral granular cell tumor: report of two cases and review of the literature.

Granular cell tumor (GCT) is a relatively uncommon lesion occurring in almost any part of the body, including the orofacial region. The tongue and the buccal mucosa are common intra oral sites. Although aggressive and malignant variants of this neoplasm have been described, most GCTs are benign. The histogenesis of the lesion still remains unknown. However, histochemical and ultra-structural studies propose the origin of the lesion from Schwann cells, striated muscle, mesenchymal cells, histiocytes and epithelial cells. The tumor generally occurs in middle-aged or older adults. The lesion is typically seen as an uninflamed asymptomatic mass measuring about two cm in diameter with reddish surface coloring. As most granular cell tumors are benign, surgical excision of the lesion is the treatment of choice. In this study, 2 oral GCT cases are presented, corresponding to 2 male patients, with a mean age of 27 years and a mean time of evolution of the lesions of 8 months. Both lesions were located on the tongue. Differential diagnoses include fibrous hyperplasia, minor salivary gland tumor condyloma acuminatum and neurilemmoma. In all the cases a resection with safety margins of the lesions was carried out under local anesthesia. The samples were fixed and processed for histopathological study. The main clinical pathology and diagnostic features of this neoplasm are reviewed and discussed.