Granular Cell Tumor in a 13-Year-Old Girl

Abstract

Granular cell tumors are rare benign soft-tissue lesions that most commonly occur in the head and neck. They usually present in adulthood and are rarely seen in children. Here we present a 13-year-old girl who experienced symptoms of hoarseness of voice for most of her childhood and was unsuccessfully treated for asthma, acid reflux, allergies, and bronchitis before direct visualization revealed what was initially thought to be a vocal cord cyst. Surgical excision and pathology revealed the unexpected diagnosis of a vocal cord granular cell tumor. The patient has had resolution of dysphonia and is undergoing voice therapy.