Intramuscular granular cell tumor in the lower extremities

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pathology
• Radiology

Background:

• Granular cell tumors (GCTs) are uncommon neoplasms with a predominantly benign histology.
• Malignant GCTs can occur, making differentiation from benign counterparts critical for patient management.
• Intramuscular GCTs, particularly in the lower extremities, require careful diagnostic and therapeutic consideration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic features and clinical outcomes of intramuscular granular cell tumors in the lower extremities.
• To highlight the importance of radiographic and histologic analysis in distinguishing benign from malignant GCTs.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of five cases of intramuscular granular cell tumors in the lower extremities.
• Histologic diagnosis of benign GCTs with wide surgical resection.
• Minimum 1-year follow-up to assess recurrence and metastasis.
• Analysis of characteristic MRI features (peripheral high intensity on T2-weighted images).

Main Results:

• Four out of five patients experienced no local recurrence or distant metastasis after a minimum 18-month follow-up.
• One patient with lymph node metastasis developed recurrence and distant metastasis, leading to death.
• Characteristic MRI findings can aid in the diagnosis of intramuscular GCTs.
• Histologic criteria (Fanburg-Smith et al.) are effective in differentiating malignant from benign GCTs.

Conclusions:

• Intramuscular granular cell tumors in the lower extremities can be diagnosed using MRI and histologic evaluation.
• Wide surgical resection is a suitable treatment for most extremity GCTs.
• Accurate differentiation between benign and malignant GCTs is essential for prognosis and treatment planning.