Granular cell tumor (GCT) is a rare benign tumor that can arise everywhere in the body. As a histopathological feature of this tumor, this lesion is not encapsulated, and there can be the presence of a pseudo-invasive pattern, such as pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia (PEH). The high frequency and diversity of locally invasive features, particularly of vascular invasion, in granular cell tumors of the skin was reported. In the period between 1994 and 2018, we evaluated the clinical and histopathological characteristics of 19 cases of GCT arising in the oral cavity.
Six patients were male, and 13 were female. The mean age of the patients was 44.5 years (range 21 to 79 years). Tumors arose in the tongue in 15 patients (78.9%), the lower lip in 2 patients (10.5%), and the lower gum and buccal mucosa in one patient (5.3%). Histopathologically, vascular invasion was found in 5 patients (26.3%). PEH was observed in the overlying mucosa of the tumor in 6 patients (31.6%). No patient showed evidence of local recurrence or malignancy.
