CHORISTOMAS OF THE TONGUE: A SERIES OF 5 NEW CASES

Choristoma is a mass of normal tissue in an abnormal location that occasionally may affect the oral cavity, particularly as tumor-like proliferation of osseous and cartilaginous tissues in the tongue. We contribute with 5 new cases of choristomas of the tongue. There were 2 female patients and 3 male patients, with mean age of 34 years. Lesions appeared as small, smooth-surfaced, and normal-colored nodules; were hard-to-soft in consistency; and were mainly located in the dorsum (3 cases), base (1 case), and lateral border (1 case) of the tongue. Conservative surgical excision was performed in all cases. Microscopically, 4 cases were classified as osseous choristomas and 1 case as sebaceous choristoma of the tongue. Recurrence was not observed after follow-up from 0.5 to 4 years. Choristomas of the tongue are uncommon, being usually characterized by the occurrence of osseous tissues as a hardened small nodule in the dorsal tongue of young adults.