Glomangiomatosis - immunohistochemical study: A case report

Abstract

BACKGROUND Glomangiomatosis (also known as diffuse glomus tumor) is extremely rare, accounting for only 5% of glomus tumors. The prevalence of glomus tumors is only 2% of soft tissue tumors. Lesions can recur after resection. Although growth may be diffuse or infiltrating and invasive, definitive identifying standards for malignant glomus tumors are lacking. This article describes a case of glomangiomatosis with many nodular masses in the soft tissues of the right foot and calf. A review of the Chinese and English-language literature is included. CASE SUMMARY A case of glomangiomatosis in a 55-year-old Chinese woman who presented clinically with many nodular masses in the soft tissues of the right foot and calf. The tumor was examined histologically and immunostaining was performed. CONCLUSION Glomangiomatosis occurs most often in young people, in the distal extremities, but is rare. Multiple nodules are even rarer. Only 15 clinicopathological analyses of glomangiomatosis have been reported in the combined Chinese- and English-language literature. In the present case, microscopically, nested vascular globular cells were observed around the blood vessel wall. Immunohistochemistry revealed diffuse immunoreactivity for smooth muscle actin, vimentin, type IV collagen, and Bcl-2. Caldesmon, CD34, and calponin were weakly, partially, and slightly positive, respectively. There was no recurrence 1 year after resection.

Glomus Extradigital Tumor: A Case Report of an Extradigital Glomus Tumor on the Wrist and Comprehensive Review of Glomus Tumors

“…Glomus tumors represent 2% of all soft tissue tumors. The World Health Organization recently classified glomus tumors into three types: benign, intermediate glomangiomatosis, and malignant [ 12 ].…”

“…It represents only 5% of glomus tumors; a recent review only includes 17 patients. A diffuse glomus tumor usually presents in young people as a solitary lesion on the distal extremities [ 12 ].…”

“…Glomulin (GLMN), a phosphorylated protein that is a member of a Skp1-Culin-F-box-like complex, is encoded by the GLMN gene which is located on the short arm of chromosome 1 (1p21-22). GLMN is essential for the normal development of the vasculature and glomangioma has been associated with a mutation that results in the inactivation of the GLMN gene [ 12 ].…”

“…These classifications can be differentiated on tumor tissue that has been stained with hematoxylin and eosin (Table 10 ) [ 1 , 2 , 6 - 8 , 12 - 14 ]. They are based on the number of glomus cells, blood vessels, and smooth muscle cells that are present in the tumor [ 2 , 5 - 7 , 11 ].…”

“…The pathologic differential diagnosis of a glomus tumor predominantly includes vascular and smooth muscle tumors (Table 11 ) [ 2 , 11 , 12 ]. In addition, the malignant variant of the tumor may need to be excluded.…”