Paraganglioma of the tongue

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.