Granular cell tumor of the oral cavity; a case series including a case of metachronous occurrence in the tongue and the lung

The granular cell tumor (GCT) is a rare, benign tumor that most commonly occurs in the oral cavity, particularly in the anterior part of the tongue. In this study the experience with 16 patients with a GCT observed in a single Institution will be discussed. Although no radicality has been obtained in most cases, recurrences are rare. In one patient, a recurrence was noted four years after excision of the primary. In the same patient a pulmonary lesion occurred five years after excision of the recurrence in the oral cavity, most likely representing an example of metachronous occurrence and not a distant metastasis. Since recurrences and metachronous lesions are rare, as are distant metastases, routine follow-up does not seem warranted in patients treated for a granular cell tumor of the oral cavity.