Granular cell tumour (Abrikossoff’s tumour) of the tongue (2024)

FAQs

Granular cell tumour (Abrikossoff’s tumour) of the tongue? ›

Granular cell tumor, also known as Abrikossoff's tumor, is characteristically asymptomatic, with slow growth and is often accidentally detected. It is characterized by the presence of a small, well-defined, submucosal nodular mass, about 1 to 3 cm in size, of firm consistency and usually covered by intact mucosa [7].

Treatment is with surgical resection. With benign granular cell tumors, local surgical excision is curative, if complete resection is achieved; however, recurrence is possible even withclear margins.

A rare type of soft tissue tumor that usually begins in Schwann cells (cells that hold nerve cells in place). It can occur anywhere in the body, but it usually occurs in or under the skin of the head and neck (especially the mouth or tongue).

GCTs are relatively rare benign tumors that can occur throughout the body. The tongue is involved in ≥60% of oral GCTs, although these tumors can also be found in the head and neck region, buccal mucosa, hard palate, lips and gingiva [3].

The outcomes of granular cell tumors depend in part on whether the lesions are malignant or benign. Benign tumors have excellent outcomes with wide local excision and rarely recur or metastasize. On the other hand, patients with large, malignant lesions and metastatic disease have dismally poor outcomes.

Prognosis for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

If carcinoma of the tongue is localized (no lymph node involvement), 5-year survival is > 75%. For localized carcinoma of the floor of the mouth, 5-year survival is 75%. Lymph node metastasis decreases survival rate by about half.

Most often painless; can occasionally be mildly itchy or tender.

Most granular cell tumors are benign (not cancer), but some may be malignant (cancer) and spread quickly to nearby tissue. They usually occur in middle-aged adults. Also called Abrikossoff tumor.

GCTs are considered to be tumors of low malignant potential. Approximately 90% of GCTs are at stage I at the time of diagnosis (see Staging for further detail). The 10-year survival rate for stage I tumors in adults is 90-96%. GCTs of more advanced stages are associated with 5- and 10-year survival rates of 33-44%.

Stage is the most important prognostic factor, with 10-year survivals of 84-95% for stage I tumors, decreasing to 50-65% for stage II disease, and to 17-33% for stages III and IV.

What is the life expectancy of a person with GCT? ›

Testicular germ-cell tumors (GCT) are highly curable. A multidisciplinary approach, including cisplatin-based chemotherapy has resulted in cure in the majority of patients with GCT. Thus, the life expectancy of survivors will extend to many decades post-diagnosis.

Benign mouth and tongue tumors usually occur alone and grow very slowly over a period of 2 to 6 years. Benign means they are not cancerous. They are unlikely to spread to other body parts. They can involve the lips, gums, roof or floor of the mouth, or tongue.

What are the types of tongue cancer? The most common type of tongue cancer is squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Squamous cells are the flat, skin like cells that cover the lining of the mouth, nose, larynx, thyroid and throat. Squamous cell carcinoma is the name for a cancer that starts in these cells.

Brain and pancreatic cancers have much lower median survival rates which have not improved as dramatically over the last forty years. Indeed, pancreatic cancer has one of the worst survival rates of all cancers. Small cell lung cancer has a five-year survival rate of 4% according to Cancer Centers of America's Website.

Are granulosa cell tumors benign or malignant? Granulosa cell tumors are usually malignant (cancerous). But most GCTs grow slowly. Most of the time, healthcare providers diagnose them in early stages when they have good treatment outcomes.

Fanburg-Smith criteria: Necrosis, tumor cell spindling, vesicular nuclei with large nucleoli, > 2 mitoses/10 high power fields, high nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio and pleomorphism. 0: benign; 1 - 2: atypical; ≥ 3: malignant (Am J Surg Pathol 1998;22:779)

In general, early-stage tongue carcinoma (T1 or T2) can be treated successfully with single-modality therapy, namely surgery or radiation. However, when long-term morbidity of treatment, cost, and other factors are considered, surgery is recommended upfront.

This surgery is called a glossectomy. The surgeon removes the cancer and some of the healthy cells around it, called a margin. Removing the margin helps ensure that all the cancer cells are removed. How much of the tongue the surgeon removes depends on the size of the cancer.

Treatment. The primary method for treatment is surgical, not medical. Radiation and chemotherapy are not needed for benign lesions and are not effective for malignant lesions.

Surgical Removal

If you have moderate or severe dysplasia, which has a greater chance of becoming cancerous, doctors remove the lesion and a small margin of healthy tissue using a small scalpel or laser beam. They may use a local anesthetic to perform the surgery. You may return home the same day.