Glomus Tumor Diagnosis and Management
Summary
Glomus tumours are rare benign neoplasms arising from the glomus body, a specialised arteriovenous structure involved in thermoregulation. They most commonly present as small, painful nodules in the subungual regions of the digits but may occur at extra‐digital sites, including the gastrointestinal tract, deep soft tissues and viscera. Clinically, the classic triad of intense pain, point tenderness and cold sensitivity guides suspicion. Diagnosis combines clinical examination with imaging techniques such as high‐resolution ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging, which characteristically demonstrate a well‐defined, hypervascular lesion. Definitive identification relies on histopathology, revealing uniform glomus cells surrounding vascular channels, and immunohistochemistry, typically positive for smooth muscle actin and vimentin. Complete surgical excision remains the mainstay of management, offering excellent pain relief and low recurrence rates for benign lesions. In rare malignant variants, criteria such as size, mitotic activity and infiltrative growth prompt consideration of wider resection margins and long‐term surveillance. Advances in minimally invasive approaches and refined preoperative localisation techniques have improved outcomes and reduced morbidity, while evolving molecular insights hold potential for targeted therapies in aggressive cases.
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Glomus Tumor Diagnosis and Management publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in glomus tumor diagnosis and management across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Glomus body: A thermoregulatory structure composed of arteriovenous channels and specialised cells.
Subungual: Located beneath the nail plate, a common site for glomus tumours.
Histopathology: Microscopic examination of tissue to study the manifestations of disease.
Immunohistochemistry: A laboratory technique that uses antibodies to detect specific antigens in tissue sections.
Paroxysmal pain: Sudden, intense episodes of pain often triggered by temperature changes or pressure.
References
- Rare Benign Tumors and Tumor-like Lesions of the Hand without Skin Damage—Clinical, Imagistic and Histopathological Diagnosis, Retrospective Study. Diagnostics (2023).
- Gastric Glomus Tumor: A Clinicopathologic and Immunohistochemical Study of 21 Cases. BioMed Research International (2020).
- Glomus tumor in the stomach: A case report and review of the literature. Oncology Letters (2014).
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