Incidental Diagnosis of Granular Cell Tumor of Vulva: Importance of Discussing Vulvar Health at the Annual Well-Woman Examination

Abstract

Granular cell tumors are rare tumors of neurogenic or Schwann cell origin and are known to involve the vulva. The objective of this case is to highlight the importance of careful vulvar examination during the annual well-woman examination by presenting a case of an incidental finding of granular cell tumor of the vulva. A 55-year-old African American female was noted to have an incidental finding of a 2 2 cm slow growing right vulvar lump at her yearly gynecologic exam. The lesion was excised and the histopathology was consistent with a benign granular cell tumor of the vulva. Immunostaining was positive for S100 and neuron-specific enolase. Asymptomatic vulvar masses can be the only presenting feature of a neoplastic process. Women may not seek medical attention due to embarrassment or lack of recognizing the importance of symptoms. This case report highlights such a scenario as a reminder to carefully examine the vulva during annual well-woman examination. A low threshold for biopsy can assist in diagnosing pre-invasive and invasive vulvar lesions.




J Med Cases. 2015;6(9):417-419
doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jmc2258w