Cartilaginous choristoma of the tongue

Cartilaginous choristoma of soft tissue in the oral cavity is rare. The choristoma is a tumor-like mass of normal cells in an abnormal location. In this report, a case of cartilaginous choristoma of the tongue in a 60-year-old female patient was reported. Approximately 10 mm × 10 mm pedunculated healthy colored and elastic-hard mass was observed in the front of circumvallate papillae in the median dorsum of tongue. The mass was surgically removed. Examination of the hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections of the mass revealed that under the squamous epithelium, a hyaline cartilaginous nodule was formed and surrounded by thin fibro-fatty tissue. Neither salivary gland tissues, epithelial components with a ductal structure, nor mesenchymal myxoid and osseous tissues were observed. Moreover, inflammation was minor at that lesion, and there was no cellular atypia. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the mass was positive for S-100 protein, and negative for cytokeratin and epithelial membrane antigens. Mixed salivary gland tumor was excluded. According to these findings, the final pathological diagnosis confirmed that the mass was a cartilaginous choristoma.