Glomus Tumor - Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and Cure for Glomus Tumor

Glomus Tumor is a rare tumor. It is usually seen as a single, small, well-defined, bluish-red, painful tumor arising from the glomus body (neuro-myoarterial organ surrounding the arteriovenous junction which is supposed to regulate blood pressure and temperature).

What is Glomus Tumor?

Glomus Tumor is a benign, blue-red, painful tumor which develops by hypertrophy of a glomus. It is also called temporal bone paragangliomas and glomangioma. subungual lesions are common to the women and multiple lesions are common to men. Solitary glomus tumors are more common in adults.

Causes of Glomus Tumor

• It arises because of proliferation of glomus cells, which make up a portion of the glomus body.
• Trauma may be responsible in increasing solitary subungual glomus tumors.
• Most hereditary glomangiomas are related with defects in the glomulin gene.

Symptoms of Glomus Tumor

Pain is periodic, sharp and spontaneous which may radiate. The site of choice is the subungual region at the tip of the finger. Histopathology essentially consists of numerous small vascular lumina and masses of glomus cells. The latter have faintly eosinophilic cytoplasm and large pale nuclei.

Treatment for Glomus Tumor

Treatment consists of surgical excision, or electro-coagulation with diathermy.

• Surgery and radiation is the best treatment for glomus tumor.
• Excision may be difficult in the multiple glomus tumors because of its poor circumscription and large number of lesions.
• Argon and carbon dioxide laser therapy and sclerotherapy with hypertonic saline or sodium tetradecyl sulfate are useful for treating multiple lesions.
• Excision must be limited to symptomatic lesions.