Paragangliomas are neuroendocrine tumors arising from extra-adrenal autonom
ic ganglia. We present what is to our knowledge the first immunohistochemic
ally documented case of a paraganglioma of the tongue, a 2.5-cm benign tumo
r growing in the position of the foramen cecum. The patient was an elderly
woman who presented with throat irritation. The histologic profile and ultr
astructural appearance of this lesion were classic for paraganglioma, and c
ells stained strongly for neurosecretory granules by immunohistochemistry.
Carcinoid, ectopic thyroid neoplasm, and other tumors that mimic paragangli
oma were ruled out on immunohistochemical grounds. To our knowledge, paraga
nglia have not been previously documented in the tongue; this tumor may hav
e arisen from a branch of cranial nerve VII or IX, or from an embryologic r
emnant of the thyroid or thyroid capsule.