Glomangioma, Glomangiomyoma

Synonyms

Glomus tumor; Glomuvenous malformation

Definition

A mesenchymal tumor composed of modified smooth muscle cells like those of the normal glomus body.

Clinical Features

• Incidence

  Glomangioma is rare accounting for less than 2% of all soft tissue tumors (Shugart 1963).

• Age

  Glomangioma usually affects middle-aged adults. However, it may occur at any age.

• Sex

  Glomangiomas are equally distributed among men and women. There is a female predominance only for subungual lesions (female-to-male ratio, 3:1) (Tsuneyoshi and Enjoji 1982).

• Site

  Glomangiomas almost always develop within the skin or the superficial soft tissues. However, cases occur in the deep soft tissue or in the viscera. Described throughout the body, the vast majority of glomangiomas affect the distal extremities, especially the fingers (most of all in the subungual region), the hand, the wrist, and the foot. Malignant glomangiomas are more commonly deep-seated than benign tumors (Folpe et al. 2001).

• Treatment...