Granular cell tumor of the breast: a multidisciplinary challenge

Abstract

Granular cell tumors are rare soft tissue tumors; they are almost never malignant, but can mimic a carcinoma clinically, radiologically and microscopically. The finding of a suspicious lump often entails subsequent diagnostic procedures that can pose significant anxiety on patients before reaching a challenging differential diagnosis. The physical and psychological burden is even more significant when such findings occur during the follow up of a previous oncologic condition. Sometimes the fear for a potential local or distant recurrence can be responsible for a misdiagnosis and lead to patient overtreatment.

Keywords: Benign tumor; Breast; Breast cancer; Breast mass; Carcinoma; Differential diagnosis; Granular cell tumor; Overtreatment; Scirrhous tumor.