Glomus tumor of the penis

Glomus tumors of the penis are extremely rare. A patient with multiple regional glomus tumors involving the penis is reported. A 16-year-old boy presented with the complaint of painless penile masses and resection of the lesions was performed. The pathologic diagnosis was glomus tumor of the penis. This is the ninth case of glomus tumor of the penis to be reported in the literature.     

Glomangiosarcoma of the hypothenar eminence: a case report

Glomangiosarcoma is an exceptionally rare soft tissue tumor. It tends to appear as a painful nodule located in the subcutaneous tissue. There are only two cases described on the hand before instead of the benign glomus tumor is usually located at this level. Histochemically the glomangiosarcoma shows features that remind a benign glomus tumor, except for the malignant glomus tumor arising de novo. This neoplasm is considered a low grade malignant tumor with tendency to local recurrence, though metastasis have been reported. We report the case of a 36 year-old -woman with a glomangiosarcoma in a glomus tumor in the hypotenar eminence. The treatment was a local complete excision and there was no signs of recurrence after 18 months.     

Glomus tumor of the sciatic nerve]

Nervous glomus tumor is an exceptional lesion, as only one case has been reported in the literature. A case of sciatic nerve glomus tumor is described. Because of the intra-neural location of the tumor with complete loss of the fascicular structures, the tibial nerve was resected and grafted. Light microscopy clearly demonstrated a glomus tumor; the histological features of these cells are typical of this lesion.     

Multiple glomus tumors in chest wall and buttocks

We report a case of a 50-year-old man with multiple glomus tumors of the chest wall and buttocks. He was admitted to our hospital because of right chest pain for 10 years. The chest pain was lancinating and gradually increasing. A computed tomography (CT) showed a mass in the right 3rd intercostal space and a mass in the right buttocks. The chest tumor was enhanced with contrast medium on chest CT. Two tumors were resected completely including the 4th rib. Histological examination showed numerous vascular space lined with sheets of epithelial cells (glomus cells), so they were diagnosed as glomus tumor. The postoperative course was well, and the pain disappeared after resection. The glomus tumor of chest wall could be diagnosed as malignant tumor, based on the criteria of the size more than 2 cm and deep location. The glomus tumors which occurred in the chest wall and buttocks were very rare. We presented the case with reference to the literature.     

Extra digital glomus tumor causing scapulothoracic impingement: A case report

Glomus tumor is a painful benign neoplasm which arises from the glomus body. The glomus body is neuromyoarterial receptor responsible for regulating the peripheral skin blood flow and local temperature. The classical clinical symptoms of the glomus tumor are acute local pain, pin point tenderness and hypersensitivity to cold. The commonest location of the glomus tumor is the subungual region of the distal phalanx of the fingers and toes. We hereby describe a very rare case of extradigital glomus tumor in the interspace between the scapula and the posterior chest wall causing paroxysmal severe pain on the movement of the right shoulder. Being deep in location, the tumor was not clinically palpable or identifiable. The lesion was eventually located on MRI. Surgical resection of the tumor led to complete resolution of patient's symptoms.     

A bronchial glomus tumor surgically treated with segmental resection

Extracutaneous glomus tumors are unusual and their occurrence in bronchus has been recognized with rarity. We present the clinical and pathological features of a case with bronchial glomus tumor. A 67-year-old man was admitted with a symptom of cough, and his chest CT scan and fiberoptic bronchoscopy demonstrated a localized polypoid tumor in the right superior bronchial trunk. Histology of the biopsy specimen by bronchoscopy was demonstrated as a typical carcinoid tumor. The tumor was surgically resected by a segmental resection of the right superior bronchial trunk and end-to-end anastomosis was followed to reconstruct the airway tract through a standard right side thoracotomy approach. The pathological and immunohistochemical findings resulted in the diagnosis of the tumor as a bronchial glomus tumor.     

Glomus Tumor in a Segmental Bronchus: A Case Report

Glomus tumors originate from a neuroarterial structure called the glomus body, and grow mostly in soft tissue. It is rare for glomus tumors to develop in the respiratory system. The patient of the present case had an abnormal shadow in the right lung on chest X-ray, and computed tomography (CT) findings displayed a lung tumor in the right S6. Bronchoscopy was performed for the diagnosis of the lung tumor, and a polypoid bronchial tumor was unexpectedly found to occupy the right B3. The bronchial tumor was diagnosed as a glomus tumor, and the lung tumor was diagnosed as an adenocarcinoma. The bronchial glomus tumor was cauterized by argon plasma coagulation (APC). Three weeks after the cauterization by APC, the right lower lobectomy was performed for the treatment of the lung adenocarcinoma. The patient has remained disease free for 2 years.     

Primary fallopian canal glomus tumors

Primary fallopian canal glomus tumor has been reported only once previously, although the occurrence of glomus body tissue in the fallopian canal was documented many years ago. Facial paresis as a presenting symptom of glomus tumors is well known, as is facial nerve invasion by glomus tumors. However, a primary fallopian canal glomus tumor that extends extratemporally to the pes anserinus is unusual. Although facial nerve grafting may be necessary for removal of some glomus jugulare tumors, the need for facial nerve grafting appears to be uniform in the patients with primary fallopian canal glomus tumors. The primary fallopian canal glomus tumors that we report did not involve the jugular fossa or the Jacobson's branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve. Both tumors did extend to the middle ear and mastoid and followed the facial nerve extratemporally. The latter features appear to typify primary fallopian canal glomus tumors.     

Glomus tumor originating within a digital nerve

Glomus tumors are thought to arise from specialized cells normally found within the glomus apparatus of the dermal stratum reticularis. We report the unusual occurrence of a glomus tumor from within a peripheral nerve. Previous investigators have suggested that the rare occurrence of glomus tumors in tissue where the glomus apparatus has not been described arise from ectopic glomus cells or differentiate from nonglomus cell sources. Many of the "ectopic" glomus tumors have been found in regions of extensive arteriovenous shunting such as in the digestive system and lung suggesting the presence of glomera at these locations. The finding of a glomus tumor within a peripheral nerve, a region where extensive arteriovenous shunting and glomus bodies have not been described, supports the occasional origin of a glomus tumor from a nonglomus cell source.     

Atypical and malignant glomus tumors: analysis of 52 cases, with a proposal for the reclassification of glomus tumors

Occasional glomus tumors display unusual features, such as large size, deep location, infiltrative growth, mitotic activity, nuclear pleomorphism, and necrosis. Although a small number of purportedly malignant glomus tumors have been described, histologic criteria for malignancy in glomus tumors have never been elaborated. The authors studied 52 unusual glomus tumors (retrieved from their consultation files) previously diagnosed as "atypical" or "malignant" by virtue of nuclear atypia, infiltrative growth, or mitotic activity. They evaluated size, depth, growth pattern, cellularity, nuclear grade, number of mitotic figures per 50 high-power fields (HPF), atypical mitotic figures, vascular space involvement, and necrosis to define criteria for malignancy in glomus tumors. Estimated relative risk was calculated and the Fisher exact test was used for statistical analysis. The 27 female patients and the 25 male patients ranged in age from 8 to 83 years (median age, 43 years). The tumors measured from 0.2 to 12 cm (median size, 2 cm) and occurred predominantly in the extremities, in both the superficial (n = 35) and deep (n = 17) soft tissues. Atypical features were usually observed centrally with a rim of benign-appearing glomus tumor. Follow-up information (n = 35; range, 5 months-23 years; mean 5.5 years) showed seven recurrences, eight metastases, and seven deaths from disease. Five-year cumulative metastatic risk increased significantly for tumors with a deep location (p = 0.005), with a size of more than 2 cm (p = 0.004), and with atypical mitotic figures (p = 0.004). Mitotic activity of more than 5 mitoses/50 HPF, high cellularity, the presence of necrosis, and moderate to high nuclear grade approached but did not reach significance. High nuclear grade alone, infiltrative growth, and vascular space involvement were not associated with metastasis. The authors propose the following classification scheme and criteria. Malignant glomus tumor: Tumors with a deep location and a size of more than 2 cm, or atypical mitotic figures, or moderate to high nuclear grade and > or =5 mitotic figures/50 HPF. Symplastic glomus tumor: Tumors with high nuclear grade in the absence of any other malignant feature. Glomus tumor of uncertain malignant potential: Tumors that lack criteria for malignant glomus tumor or symplastic glomus tumor but have high mitotic activity and superficial location only, or large size only, or deep location only. Glomangiomatosis: Tumors with histologic features of diffuse angiomatosis and excess glomus cells. Using this classification scheme, metastasis was observed in 38% of tumors fulfilling the criteria for malignancy. In contrast, metastatic disease was not seen in any specimen classified as symplastic glomus tumor, glomus tumor of uncertain malignant potential, or glomangiomatosis.     

Glomus tumor of the kidney

A 41‐year‐old man was diagnosed with a glomus tumor of the kidney, which was incidentally found by ultrasonography. Partial nephrectomy revealed a 10‐mm encapsulated mass. We diagnosed it as a glomus tumor using morphological and immunohistochemical stains.     

Successful Management of a Catecholamine-Secreting Glomus Jugulare Tumor with Radiosurgery Alone

Secretory glomus jugulare tumors are often resected surgically to control the systemic effects of the catecholamines they produce. This involves complex skull base surgery, which carries significant risks and frequent morbidity. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is a recently recognized treatment for glomus jugulare tumors, though little is known about its use in secretory tumors. Case Report A young fit patient with a catecholamine-secreting glomus jugulare tumor was treated with SRS alone and over the following 37 months her urinary catecholamine excretion fell to near normal levels, and serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed a reduction in tumor volume. Discussion Radiosurgery is an accepted treatment for glomus jugulare tumors and is now readily available to skull base surgeons. In this case a catecholamine-secreting tumor was successfully controlled with radiosurgery alone. Further research and long-term follow-up will determine the role of this treatment in the nonsurgical management of secreting glomus jugulare tumors.     

Multiple glomus tumors of the stomach with intravascular spread.

Gastric glomus tumors are characteristically benign solitary lesions. We present a case of multiple glomus tumors involving the stomach wall and perigastric adipose tissue. Histologically, the major portion of each tumor was composed of "typical" glomus cells arranged in a predominantly solid pattern. Cavernous hemangiomalike areas were present toward the periphery. The tumor cells were immunoreactive for alpha-smooth muscle actin, vimentin, laminin, and type IV collagen, but did not express desmin. There were several focal areas where the tumor cells had a signet-ring cell-like appearance, intermingled with cells having clear cytoplasm and hyperchromatic nuclei. Rare mitoses were noted. A striking feature was the presence of widespread but subtle extension of the glomocytes along venous channels subendothelially, with formation of intravascular nodules focally. The multiple separate tumor nodules found in perigastric fat are interpreted as having arisen in this manner. This entity is distinct from previously described typical and atypical solitary glomus tumors, glomangiosarcoma, and the syndrome of multiple glomus tumors of subcutaneous tissues. It may represent an early stage of development of the large, multilobulated glomus tumors that have rarely been reported to involve stomach and adjacent viscera.     

Glomus Tumor of Hoffa's Fat Pad and Its Management by Arthroscopic Excision

We present a rare case of glomus tumor of Hoffa''s fat pad in a 42-year-old woman. Magnetic resonance imaging findings along with the characteristic clinical picture led us to suspect a glomus tumor as the possible etiology. An ischemia test was found to be positive and this further substantiated our diagnosis. An arthroscopic excision was performed and the histology confirmed the diagnosis of glomus tumor of Hoffa''s fat pad. The patient responded well to the excision with immediate complete resolution of pain and she remains asymptomatic at the last follow-up after 15 months. To our knowledge, this is the second reported case of glomus tumor of Hoffa''s fat pad and the first ever to be managed by simple arthroscopic excision. The tumor poses a great challenge to an orthopedic surgeon. However, knowledge of its characteristic clinical presentation and the recognition of such a rare entity can help achieve an early diagnosis and timely management.     

Glomus tumor associated with pacinian hyperplasia--case report

Features of the glomus tumor and the relatively recently described pacinian hyperplasia are described including signs and symptoms, differential diagnosis and treatment. The role of trauma as an etiology is proposed. A case is reported and discussed in which the patient had a glomus tumor and pacinian hyperplasia in an index finger, and a glomus tumor in the small finger of one hand. Treatment of both entities was surgical excision.     

Glomus tumors

The authors report a series of 12 consecutive patients with 13 glomus tumors operated from July 1991 until February 1999. Symptoms were present for an average of 1.9 years before surgery. Women were more frequently affected. The mean age was 44 years. In 12 of the 13, the tumor was located in the distal phalanx and one patient had a glomus tumor on the dorsum of the hand. One glomus tumor was found in the right hallux of a two-year-old child. Both hands and all fingers were equally involved. One bilateral glomus tumor was associated with neurofibromatosis. All tumors were resected and histology confirmed the diagnosis. The result was good with immediate pain relief. No recurrence has been noted to date.     

Necrotizing fasciitis caused by TSST-1 producing penicillinsensitive Staphylococcus aureus—a case report

Eighteen patients with a glomus tumor in the hand are reviewed. in five cases the tumor was subjected to light and electron microscopical analysis. This unusual lesion is often quite debilitating. the major symptoms are intense pain with mechanical stimulation of the tumor and temperature hypersensitivity. Careful dissection and complete removal of the tumor is adequate treatment. A possible mechanism in the glomus tumor for the generation of painful sensations is discussed.     

Glomus tumor in the hand. A clinical and morphological study

Eighteen patients with a glomus tumor in the hand are reviewed. In five cases the tumor was subjected to light and electron microscopical analysis. This unusual lesion is often quite debilitating. The major symptoms are intense pain with mechanical stimulation of the tumor and temperature hypersensitivity. Careful dissection and complete removal of the tumor is adequate treatment. A possible mechanism in the glomus tumor for the generation of painful sensations is discussed.     

Glomangiomyoma of the trachea

A glomus tumor is an uncommon soft tissue tumor that is most commonly found in the subungual area and a glomus originating in the trachea is extremely rare. Histologically and ultrastructurally, these tumors have been divided into three subtypes: classic glomus tumors, glomangiomas, and glomangiomyomas. Glomangiomyomas account for less than 10% of all glomus tumors and are the least common type. We report a case of a 54-year-old man with glomangiomyoma of the trachea who presented with stridor. We treated the tumor by segmental resection and primary repair via a transcervical approach.