A granular cell tumor is a rare neoplasm derived from Schwann cells that usually occurs on the tongue, skin, and subcutis. In the gastrointestinal tract, it is most commonly found in the esophagus. We report a case of a granular cell tumor originating from the subserosa of the small intestine in a 50-year-old woman. Computed tomography (CT) showed a well-demarcated, abdominal mass consisting of cystic and solid portions with moderate contrast enhancement and FDG accumulation (SUVmax: 5.0). The location of the tumor changed between CT and PET/CT, suggesting that it originated in the small intestine or mesentery. The differential diagnoses included various mesenchymal diseases such as gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), solitary fibrous tumor (SFT), neurogenic tumor, and sarcoma. Laparoscopic resection of the tumor was performed, with the pathological diagnosis of granular cell tumor. Histologically malignant findings such as spindle-shaped cells, high nucleocytoplasmic ratio, and nuclear pleomorphism were observed. The standard treatment for malignant granular cell tumor has not been established due to the small number of cases. Since there was no distant metastasis in the present case, the patient was carefully monitored without additional treatment, and the tumor has not recurred or metastasized to date.
View full abstract