Multifocal Cutaneous Granular Cell Tumor in Children: A Rare Entity

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Pediatric Oncology
• Pathology

Background:

• Granular cell tumors (GCTs) are rare, typically benign soft tissue neoplasms of Schwann cell origin.
• While common in adults, multiple GCTs in children are exceptionally rare and often unrecognized.
• Diagnosis is typically confirmed via histopathology, with most GCTs being benign, though malignant variants exist.

Purpose of the Study:

• To increase awareness of multiple GCTs as a rare entity in the pediatric population.
• To characterize the clinical presentation and histopathological findings of multiple GCTs in children.
• To emphasize that multifocality in pediatric GCTs does not inherently suggest malignancy or systemic issues.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective case series analysis of pediatric patients diagnosed with multiple GCTs.
• Inclusion criteria: histopathologically confirmed multiple GCTs in children (ages 5-13) seen between February 2008 and March 2021.
• Data collected included patient demographics, lesion characteristics (appearance, location, size), and histopathological assessment for malignancy.

Main Results:

• Nine pediatric patients (6 girls, 3 boys) with multiple GCTs were identified.
• Lesions presented as firm, smooth-surfaced, skin-colored to light brown nodules, predominantly on extremities.
• Mean lesion diameter was 160.5 mm², with no histopathological evidence of malignancy, extracutaneous, or mucosal involvement.

Conclusions:

• Multiple GCTs in children are a rare but benign condition.
• Early dermatological recognition facilitates conservative tumor resection and less invasive reconstruction.
• Multifocality in pediatric GCTs does not correlate with malignancy or systemic comorbidities.