Surgical management of a rare bronchial granular cell tumor: a case report

Bronchial granular cell tumor (GCT) is exceptionally rare, accounting for only 6%-10% of all GCT cases and may be misdiagnosed because of its nonspecific clinical and radiological features. We report a 50-year-old man with a 20-day history of intermittent cough, sputum production, chest tightness, and dyspnea. Chest computed tomography revealed a 12 × 11 mm nodule in the medial segmental bronchus of the right middle lobe, resulting in incomplete lung expansion. Bronchoscopy demonstrated a polypoid mass obstructing the bronchial lumen. Histopathological examination and immunohistochemical positivity for S100, SOX10, and CD68 confirmed bronchial GCT. The patient underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic right middle lobectomy, followed by an uneventful recovery, with no recurrence at three months. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges of bronchial GCT and supports surgical resection as the preferred treatment, particularly for lesions causing substantial bronchial obstruction.