title: Granular cell tumors in the central nervous system: a report on eight cases and a literature review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Granular cell tumors (GCTs) in the central nervous system (CNS) are extremely rare. We report here a series of eight GCTs at various locations in the CNS and provide a full review of the published literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight patients with pathologically confirmed GCT in the CNS were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were followed up via telephone interview or an outpatient department.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five patients were female, and three were male. Of the eight tumors, three were located at the sellar region, two were located in the spinal canal, one was located at the cerebral hemisphere, one was parasellar-nasal communicating, and one was combined with an enterogenous cyst at the ventral aspect of the medulla oblongata. Six patients were symptomatic, and two patients were found incidentally. Most GCTs tended to be homogeneous and well defined on radiological images. The parasellar-nasal communicating GCT showed destruction of the skull base and an evident cystic component in the sphenoid sinus. The various GCTs had similar histological features, and they tended to be histologically benign. Most tumors did not recur after the operation. After subtotal resection, one residual spinal GCT regrew during the follow-up period. The patient with the parasellar-nasal communicating GCT developed progressive visual loss in the right eye after the operation; and she received adjuvant radiation therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GCTs at different locations in the CNS can have significantly different clinical features and should be considered distinct entities. Except for the granular cell astrocytoma (GCA), most GCTs in the CNS tended to be benign. Malignant GCTs are rare and difficult to treat.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical University , Beijing , PR China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical University , Beijing , PR China.
authors.forename: Zhijun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical University , Beijing , PR China.
authors.forename: Zhenmin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical University , Beijing , PR China.
authors.forename: Qiangyi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical University , Beijing , PR China.
authors.forename: Shiwei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical University , Beijing , PR China.
authors.forename: Xingchao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical University , Beijing , PR China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: b Department of Neural Reconstruction , Beijing Neurosurgery Institute, Capital Medical University , Beijing , PR China.
authors.forename: Fu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical University , Beijing , PR China.
authors.forename: Pinan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D020295:Brain Stem Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D003560:Cysts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016586:Granular Cell Tumor / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Central nervous system; clinical features; granular cell tumor; literature review