Granuloblastomas of the stomach (so-called eosinophilic granulomas)-- a variant of fibrous histiocytomas?

25 cases of focal connective tissue proliferations in the submucosa of the stomach are presented. These lesions are termed "granuloblastomas" and have many features in common with so-called eosinophilic granulomas of the stomach. We found that granuloblastomas may be subdivided into two groups: (1) 8 cases are considered to be the result of the proliferation of a peculiar granulation tissue with abundant eosionophilic granulocytes, and (2) 17 cases show a more or less marked storiform pattern and the cellularity is constituted by fibroblasts and histiocytes as well as differing amounts of eosinophilic granulocytes. After discussing the concept of "fibrous histiocytomas" it is concluded that at least the second group of granuloblastomas may be interpreted as a pseudotumorous variant of fibrous histiocytomas. It remains to be clarified in future if submucosal neurofibromas can show the histological features of lesions which we designate granuloblastomas.