Granular cell tumor presenting in the scrotum of a pediatric patient: a case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND: Granular cell tumors are neoplasms of Schwann cell origin. They typically arise in the head and neck of adults, with the tongue being the most common location; granular cell tumors of male genitalia are exceedingly rare. We identified only eight prior cases of scrotal granular cell tumor in the literature, and only one was in a child. Herein, we report a second case of childhood scrotal granular cell tumor and provide a review of the most relevant literature. CASE PRESENTATION: A fifteen-year-old hispanic boy was referred to our hospital's pediatric surgery service for a painless and firm scrotal mass. Clinical impression was that of an epidermal inclusion cyst. There was no evidence of associated medical problems from the clinical history and physical examination. Surgical enucleation of the lesion demonstrated a solid nodule with morphological and immunohistochemical features consistent with a benign granular cell tumor. CONCLUSIONS: This is the second case reported of a scrotal granular cell tumor in a child. Although genital granular cell tumors are rare, and most are benign, careful clinical examination, complete surgical excision, expert histologic evaluation, and a close follow-up are recommended for accurate diagnosis and to rule out eventual malignancy.