Multifocal Cutaneous Granular Cell Tumor in Children: A Rare Entity

ABSTRACT

Granular cell tumors (GCTs) are rare soft tissue tumors of Schwann cell origin that manifest as papulonodular lesions and occur mainly in adults. The diagnosis is usually confirmed by histopathology. Most of GCTs are benign, but some lesions may exhibit malignant criteria. This study is a retrospective case series including all children with histopathologically documented multiple GCTs who attended the dermatology department of the university hospitals between February 2008 and March 2021. The objective of our study was to raise awareness to this unrecognized and rare entity in such age group. The study included 9 patients (6 girls and 3 boys) with multiple GCTs. Their age ranged between 5 and 13 years. The lesions were skin-colored to light brown, firm, smooth-surfaced nodules. Most of the lesions were on the extremities, and their mean diameter was 160.5 mm2. None of the lesions exhibited any malignant criteria on histopathology. No extracutaneous or mucosal lesions were detected. Dermatologists should be aware of this rare condition in children because early recognition allows more conservative resection of the tumor and less invasive reconstruction of the defect. Our study highlights that multifocality does not necessarily indicate malignancy or other systemic comorbidities.

Multiple cutaneous granular cell tumors, joint hypermobility and mild facial dysmorphism in a child

BACKGROUND

The association of multiple cutaneous granular tumors with systemic defects is extremely rare. To date, 14 cases have been described.

CASE REPORT

A 14-year-old boy presented multiple nodular lesions on his arms and legs; facial dysmorphism and joint hypermobility were also present. Histopathologic examination of two nodules showed granular cell tumors. We review the literature regarding multiple granular cell cutaneous tumors in children with associated somatic defects and genetic syndromes.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of multiple cutaneous granular tumors with alterations in other organs is not only fortuitous, justifying the proposal of a distinct syndrome, termed "Bakos's syndrome" after the author who first described this association. The relation with neurofibromatosis type 1 is discussed, and an association is suggested with the range of variants of this syndrome.

Multiple cutaneous granular cell tumors with systemic defects: a distinct entity?

BACKGROUND

The association between cutaneous granular cell tumors and systemic defects is extremely rare, this being the tenth case reported in the literature. The reported defects in the literature include lentiginosis, face and skull alterations, heart defects, muscular and neural pathologies, among other sporadic defects in other organs. The patients do not present visceral granular cell tumors.

CASE REPORT

An 11-year-old girl had 124 skin granular cell tumors associated with face and skull defects, pulmonary stenosis, EEG and other neurologic alterations, diffuse muscle hypotonia, and an excess of finger joint mobility.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of multiple cutaneous granular cell tumors with repeated alterations in other organs seems to be more than simply coincidental, thus suggesting a syndromic separate entity.