Giant cell arteritis （GCA） is a chronic, idiopathic, granulomatous vasculitis, especially involving the extracranial branches of the carotid arteries, in particular, the temporal artery. GCA affects the elderly population and has a variable clinical presentation and devastating complications including vision loss. Physicians should be aware of its different clinical phenotypes so that they can recognize it early and promptly administer steroids, the main choice of therapy.
We report a case of GCA diagnosed by an initial manifestation of buccal tumorous nodule. A man in his seventies visited our department with a chief complaint of a left buccal nodule. On palpation of the left buccal mucosa, a hard nodule was felt. A biopsy of the buccal nodule was performed, and the histopathological diagnosis was GCA. The biopsy specimen was considered to be a part of the facial artery. He fulfilled the GCA diagnostic criteria established by the American Association of Rheumatology. Pulse steroid therapy was administered in the Department of General Internal Medicine, and his symptoms markedly improved. After initial treatment, there was no recurrence of symptoms.
