Follow-up study of 14 oral granular cell tumors

The granular cell tumor is an uncommon benign lesion with a predilection for the oral cavity. Fourteen tumors from 13 patients have been reviewed with a follow-up period ranging from 7 months to 21 years with an average of 7.1 years. Women were affected twice as often as men, and the age of the patients varied from 14 to 75 years. Eleven of the lesions were located on the tongue, the remaining on the lower lip, sublingual papilla, and the buccal mucosa. Multiple lesions were found in one patient.The tumors varied in size from 3 to 25 mm in diameter and were all firm to hard in consistency. All the lesions were treated by local excision. Pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia of the overlying epithelium was seen in four patients. In spite of a possible inadequate removal of 10 of the lesions where granular cells extended to the margin of excision, no recurrence was seen. A simple but deep local excision is the recommended treatment.