Granular cell tumour of the mammary gland simulating malignancy. A report on two cases with light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemical investigation

Granular Cell Tumor Mimicking Breast Carcinoma: A Report of Two Cases

Granular cell tumor (GCT) of the breast is a rare neoplasm that can mimic the clinical and radiological features of breast carcinoma. This paper presents two case reports - a rare male case and a more common female case - to underline the diagnostic challenges posed by GCT in the breast. The male patient was initially suspected of having a breast tumor based on mammography and ultrasound findings. The female patient also exhibited radiological signs suggestive of breast cancer. In both cases, the mammograms showed irregular lesions, while ultrasounds revealed solid masses with posterior shadowing and echogenic halos, mimicking carcinoma. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suggested benign patterns in both cases, but only histopathologic examination post-core needle biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of GCT. These cases highlight the variability of GCT imaging presentations and the potential for misdiagnosis as breast carcinoma. The tumors exhibited distinct histopathological features, such as large polygonal cells with granular eosinophilic cytoplasm and S100 protein, differentiating them from breast carcinoma. However, imaging alone proved insufficient for diagnosis, emphasizing the need for histopathologic confirmation. The report discusses the importance of including GCT in differential diagnoses and utilizing core needle biopsy for accurate evaluation. Both cases had no recurrence during follow-up after wide resection, indicating a favorable prognosis for GCT when properly managed.

Granular Cell Tumor of Breast: a Case Report and Review of Literature

This is an article reporting a case of granular cell tumor in the left breast in a 58 year old lady. Patient presented with a 3 × 3 cm mass in the left breast. Mammography reported a BIRADS 5 lesion in the left breast. With a clinical and radiological diagnosis of malignancy, patient was sent for FNAC (Fine needle aspiration Cytology). The cytology report was granular cell tumor. Following this patient underwent wide excision of the mass. Histopathology confirmed the cytological diagnosis of granular cell tumor of the breast. Patient is on regular follow up and is presently free of disease. The case report is followed up by a brief review of literature of granular cell tumor of the breast.

Granular cell breast tumour mimicking infiltrating carcinoma

Granular cell tumour (GCT) is a rare, usually benign neoplasm that can mimic carcinoma on breast imaging. GCT can originate anywhere in the body but is most frequently found in the head and neck region, particularly in the tongue. Of the reported cases, 6% have occurred in the breast, most commonly in the upper inner quadrant. We report a case of GCT of the breast presenting as a spiculated mass infiltrating the greater thoracic muscle on breast screening mammogram.

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

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.

Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of mammary granular cell tumour: a report of three cases

This report describes the FNAC findings in three cases of granular cell tumour of the breast. The patients comprised two females aged 59 and 62 years and one male aged 28 years. All patients presented with a breast lump which was clinically and radiologically suspicious of malignancy. FNAs yielded moderately cellular specimens which on cytologic examipation consisted of groups of cells and single cells with small regular nuclei and abundant granular cytoplasm. Bare nuclei were also present but these did not have the characteristic bipolar appearance of myoepithelial cells. In two cases there was a granularity to the background. The aspirates were reported as equivocal or atypical, probably benign, and surgical biopsy was performed. Histological examination showed typical benign granular cell tumours with strong positive staining for S-100 protein. Pathologists should be aware that granular cell tumour may occur in or around the breast and should consider this diagnosis in aspirates containing a population of cells with regular nuclei and abundant granular cytoplasm. The main cytologic differential diagnoses are likely to be apocrine cells and histiocytes. The suspicion of a granular cell tumour should be heightened when these features are present in an aspirate from a clinically and radiologically suspicious mass. These cases highlight the role of the triple approach encompassing clinical, radiological and cytological features in the assessment of a breast lesion.

Granular Cell Tumor of the Breast: A Case Report Describing Dynamic MR Mammography

A case of granular cell tumor of the breast in a 36-year-old woman is reported. The patient presented with a hard mass,1.5 cm in diameter in the upper-outer quadrant of the left breast. Physical examination and ultrasonography suggested the presence of breast carcinoma. An aspiration biopsy cytology(ABC)specimen wasevaluated as class II, and dynamic magnetic resonance(MR)mammography indicated a benign tumor. Granular cell tumor was finally diagnosed on examination of an excisional biopsy specimen. Granular cell tumor of the breast can mimic breast carcinoma on physical examination, mammography, ultrasonography, and even gross inspection. Dynamic MR mammography has the potential distinguish this condition from carcinoma. Awareness of this disease and prudent use of diagnostic procedures, including MR mammography, will help prevent misdiagnosis and unnecessary surgery.

Case report: granular cell tumour of the breast

We describe a granular cell tumour in the breast of a 62-year-old woman. This tumour is unusual in the breast, and though usually benign, may be misinterpreted as cancer.

Granular cell tumour of the breast

Eight cases of benign granular cell tumour of the breast are reported. Seven patients were women and one was male. The age at the time of the excision ranged from 17 to 73 (average 40.1) years. All tumours were positive for S-100 protein and negative for keratin, myoglobin and gross cystic disease fluid protein. In two cases ultrastructural studies revealed findings identical to those in the previously reported cases of granular cell tumours. None of these cases were diagnosed preoperatively. In six cases the clinical and mammographic findings, and in one case the frozen section, led to an erroneous diagnosis of malignancy. The clinico-pathological features of the cases are delineated in order to draw attention to a benign condition which closely simulates malignancy.

Granular cell myoma and schwannoma: fine structural and immunohistochemical study

We present the histological, ultrastructural, and immunohistochemical findings of two granular cell tumors of different histogenesis: a mediastinal granular cell schwannoma, and an uterine granular cell leiomyoma. Ultrastructurally the mediastinal tumor showed granular cell changes of the Schwann cells which were reactive for S-100 protein and Leu 7 antigen, but not for actin, desmin, CEA, EMA, or cytokeratin. Ultrastructural study of the uterine lesion demonstrated smooth muscle cells with only a few "autophagic" facuoles to cells nearly replaced by lysosomes. Immunohistochemically this tumor showed reactivity for actin, desmin, and Leu 7 antigen, but was S-100 protein, CEA, EMA, and cytokeratin negative.

Granular-cell tumours of the skin do not express carcino-embryonic antigen

Granular-cell tumour (GCT) of the skin is an uncommon tumour of disputed histogenesis, that has been subjected to several immunohistochemical studies. The controversy existing in the literature concerning the expression of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) by GCT prompted us to study a series of 17 cases of cutaneous GCT by using an avidin-biotin-immunoperoxidase technique on routinely-processed tissue sections. No CEA activity was detected in any of the tumours screened. The reasons for this controversy are discussed.