Glomus Tumor:a Clinical and Histopathologic Analysis of 17 Cases

Abstract

Background: Glomus tumor is a benign neoplasm derived from the normal glomus body. This tumor includes the following types; solitary, multiple, proliferating, and acral arteriovenous. Histologically, it was subdivided into solid type, glomangioma, and glomangiomyoma. Its malignant counterpart - glomangiosarcoma - was reported. Objectives: The purposes of this study were aimed to evaluate the clinical and pathologic presentations of glomus tumor. Methods: A total of 17 patients who have been diagnosed with glomus tumor by histopathologic examination were reviewed. Results: Male patients were ten and female patients were seven. The age of the onset of glomus tumor varied from birth to 61 years. The location of tumors were as follows: arm (7 cases), finger (6 cases), back (2 cases), leg (1 case), foot (1 case). The digit was the most common site for female patients. Clinical manifestations showed solitary bluish papule (6 cases), subcutaneous nodule (5 cases), nail discoloration (3 cases), nail dystrophy (1 case), bluish plaque (1 case). One patient had no specific lesion but tenderness. The most characteristic symptom was pain in 15 (88.2%) of the 17 patients, and the other two patients had no symptom. Two asymptomatic lesions were located on the forearm and histopathologically showed glomangioma. Histopathologically, 13 (76.5%) of the 17 patients classified as solid type, and 4 (23.5%) the glomangioma variety. Conclusion: Glomus tumors were most commonly seen as a painful nodule on the upper extremity and especially female patients showed predilection for subungual location. We speculate that multiple, mild symptomatic lesions might be a tendency to be glomangioma. (Ann Dermatol 12(2) 95~101, 2000).