Granular Cell Tumor of the Perianal Region

A Rare Case of Granular Cell Tumor of the Anus

Granular cell tumors (GCTs) are uncommon soft tissue neoplasms derived from Schwann cells that can arise from various regions of the body. The majority originate from the head and neck. They are rarely encountered in the gastrointestinal tract and even more rarely in the anorectal region. There is a paucity of literature with only a few case reports of GCT of the anus. We describe a 36-year-old African American male with a long-standing history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, multiple perianal abscess and associated fistulas, and an ulcerated perianal lesion that revealed an anal GCT who was treated with excision and surveillance. Given that GCTs in the perianal region are extremely rare, a high index of suspicion of GCT of the anus is critical when patients present with anal masses, ulcers, or abscesses given the extremely poor prognosis of malignant GCTs.

Rare case of granular cell tumor of perianal region: a case report and literature review

Granular cell tumors (GCTs) are rare submucosal neoplasms, with tumors in the oral mucosa accounting for about a third of all cases. In contrast, GCT is a rare anal neoplasm, with fewer than 30 cases of perianal GCT reported in the literature. We report the case of a 36-year-old woman with a perianal lump with no obvious local lesion as the main clinical complaint. The tumor was completely resected and histologically confirmed as a GCT. The patient remained under continuous follow-up. GCT is difficult for surgeons and pathologists to diagnose, and biopsy and immunohistochemical analysis are prerequisites for an accurate diagnosis. An integrated understanding of GCT in terms of its differential diagnosis will contribute to better identification and more appropriate treatment of this disease.