Oral Leiomyoma in a Pediatric Patient: A Diagnostic Challenge

Abstract

A nodular lesion of the tongue incorporates a spectrum of entities from reactive to malignancy. A diagnostic dilemma arises when a nodular, solitary, and firm submucosal mass appears in the oral cavity of a patient. To reach a definitive diagnosis, a crucial investigation protocol needs to be followed. Leiomyomas are benign tumors that rarely occur in the oral cavity. They usually affect patients within the fourth to fifth decades of life. We report a rare case of leiomyoma of the tongue in a 12-year-old child patient. Immunohistochemically analysis revealed the positivity of tumor cells for alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA). Surgical excision of such lesions is the treatment of choice, with a low recurrence rate. Our patient was asymptomatic and tumor-free at the follow-up visit after two years.