Clinical and Histopathological Diagnosis of Glomus Tumor
- 22 January 2015
- journal article
- review article
- Published by SAGE Publications in International Journal of Surgical Pathology
- Vol. 23 (3), 181-188
- https://doi.org/10.1177/1066896914567330
Abstract
Background. Glomus tumors are relatively uncommon subcentimeteric benign perivascular neoplasms usually located on the fingers. With their blue-red color and common subungual location, they are commonly confused for vascular or melanocytic lesions. To date there is no comprehensive review of an institutional experience with glomus tumors. Methods. A 14-year retrospective review of all cases within University of California, Los Angeles, with either a clinical or pathological diagnosis of glomus tumor was performed. Data obtained included demographic information, tumor description, pathological diagnoses, immunohistochemical studies, radiographic and treatment information, and clinical course. Rates of concordance between clinical and pathological diagnoses and an evaluation of overlap with other entities were assessed. Results. Clinical diagnosis of glomus tumor showed concordance with a histopathological diagnosis (45.4% of cases). The most common alternate clinical diagnoses included lipoma, cyst, or angioma. A pathological diagnosis of glomus tumor was most common in the fourth to seventh decades of life. The most common presentation was a subcentimeter lesion on the digit. Deep-seated tumors had a strikingly increased risk for malignancy (33%). Radiological studies were not relied on frequently (18.2% of cases). Immunohistochemical analysis showed diffuse αSMA and MSA expression in nearly all cases (99% and 95%, respectively), with focal to diffuse CD34 immunostaining in 32% of cases. Discussion. Our study illustrates trends in the clinical versus pathologic diagnoses of glomus tumor, common competing diagnoses, a difference in demographics than is commonly reported (older age groups most commonly affected), and important differences in the use adjunctive diagnostic tools including radiology and immunohistochemistry.Keywords
This publication has 27 references indexed in Scilit:
- Metabolic Pattern of Glomic Tumor by F-18 FDG PET/CTClinical Nuclear Medicine, 2011
- Subungual glomus tumour: magnetic resonance imaging findingsAustralasian Radiology, 2007
- Subungual glomus tumor diagnosis based on imagingThe Journal of Dermatology, 2006
- Glomus Tumor of the Stomach: MRI FindingsAmerican Journal of Roentgenology, 2005
- Four common glomulin mutations cause two thirds of glomuvenous malformations ("familial glomangiomas"): evidence for a founder effectJournal of Medical Genetics, 2005
- Familial Generalized Multiple Glomangiomyoma: Report of a New Family, with Immunohistochemical and Ultrastructural Studies and Review of the LiteraturePediatric Dermatology, 2002
- Atypical and Malignant Glomus TumorsThe American Journal of Surgical Pathology, 2001
- Glomus Tumours of the HandJournal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), 1996
- Multiple Glomus Tumors of the Face and EyelidAmerican Journal of Ophthalmology, 1976
- Multiple glomus tumors. A clinical and electron microscopic studyArchives of Dermatology, 1971