Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Intramuscular Granular Cell Tumor in the Lower Extremities

  • Clinical Research
  • Published:
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research®

Abstract

Granular cell tumors are uncommon but typically histologically benign neoplasms that occasionally behave as malignant tumors. Differentiation of benign granular cell tumors from malignant counterparts with radiographic and/or histologic analysis is crucial for physicians. We retrospectively studied five cases of intramuscular granular cell tumors arising in the lower extremities. All tumors had been histologically diagnosed as benign and were resected with a wide surgical margin. The minimum followup was 1 year (mean, 45 months; range, 12–119 months) after surgery. Four patients had no local recurrence or distant metastasis (at a minimum of 18 months followup), whereas one patient with lymph node metastasis had a recurrence and distant metastasis 3 months after surgery resulting in death. Intramuscular granular cell tumors can be diagnosed based on their characteristic MRI features, such as peripheral high intensity on T2-weighed images, and histologic evaluation. The histologic criteria described by Fanburg-Smith et al. can differentiate malignant granular cell tumors from benign tumors. A wide resection seems suitable for most granular cell tumors in the extremities.

Level of Evidence: Level IV, diagnostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of evidence.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1A–E
Fig. 2A–E

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Blacksin MF, White LM, Hameed M, Kandel R, Patterson FR, Benevenia J. Granular cell tumor of the extremity: magnetic resonance imaging characteristics with pathologic correlation. Skeletal Radiol. 2005;34:625–631.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Chaudhry IH, Calonje E. Dermal non-neural granular cell tumour (so-called primitive polypoid granular cell tumour): a distinctive entity further delineated in a clinicopathological study of 11 cases. Histopathology. 2005:47:179–185.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Davis GA. Granular cell tumor: a rare tumor of the ulnar nerve. Case report. Neurosurg Focus. 2007;22:E5.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Elkousy H, Harrelson J, Dodd L, Martinez S, Scully S. Granular cell tumors of the extremities. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2000;380:191–198.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Enginger FM, Weiss S. Granular cell tumor. In: Soft Tissue Tumors. Ed 4. St Louis, MO: CV Mosby; 2004:1178–1187.

  6. Fanburg-Smith JC, Meis-Kindblom JM, Fante R, Kindblom LG. Malignant granular cell tumor of soft tissue: diagnostic criteria and clinicopathologic correlation. Am J Surg Pathol. 1998;22:779–794.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Fierro FJ, Dorfman HD. Granular cell myoblastoma of the hand: report of three new cases with aggressive behavior in one. Bull Hosp Joint Dis. 1975:36:121–129.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Morrison JG, Gray GF Jr, Dao AH, Adkins RB Jr. Granular cell tumors. Am Surg. 1987:53:156–160.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Rosenthal SA, Livolsi VA, Turrisi AT 3rd. Adjuvant radiotherapy for recurrent granular cell tumor. Cancer. 1990:65:897–900.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Thacker MM, Humble SD, Mounasamy V, Temple HT, Scully SP. Case report. Granular cell tumors of extremities: comparison of benign and malignant variants. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2007;455:267–273.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Tsuchida T, Okada K, Itoi E, Sato T, Sato K. Intramuscular malignant granular cell tumor. Skeletal Radiol. 1997;26:116–121.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Wieczorek TJ, Krane JF, Domanski HA, Akerman M, Carlen B, Misdraji J, Granter SR. Cytologic findings in granular cell tumors, with emphasis on the diagnosis of malignant granular cell tumor by fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Cancer. 2001;93:398–408.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Satoko Shimada for helpful pathologic evaluation and Eri Ishihara for valuable secretarial assistance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School and School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8550, Japan

    Eisuke Arai MD, Yoshihiro Nishida MD, PhD, Satoshi Tsukushi MD, PhD & Naoki Ishiguro MD, PhD

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Aichi Cancer Center Central Hospital, 1-1 Kanokoden, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan

    Hideshi Sugiura MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Eisuke Arai MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yoshihiro Nishida MD, PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Satoshi Tsukushi MD, PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hideshi Sugiura MD, PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Naoki Ishiguro MD, PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yoshihiro Nishida MD, PhD.

Additional information

One of the authors (YN) has received funding from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (Grant-in-Aid 20591751 for Scientific Research [C]).

Each author certifies that his institution has approved the human protocol for this investigation, that all investigations were conducted in conformity with ethical principles of research, and that informed consent was obtained.

This work was performed at Nagoya University Graduate School and School of Medicine and Aichi Cancer Center Central Hospital.

About this article

Cite this article

Arai, E., Nishida, Y., Tsukushi, S. et al. Intramuscular Granular Cell Tumor in the Lower Extremities. Clin Orthop Relat Res 468, 1384–1389 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-009-1085-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-009-1085-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation