Glomangiosarcoma is a low grade tumor of the soft tissue. They rarely metastasize, but metastases are possible. It is also known as malignant glomus tumor. Positive staining for vimentin has been reported.
Signs and symptoms
Glomangiosarcoma usually manifest as painful blue-red dermal nodules that range from 0.5-2cm in size.
Typically, a definitive diagnosis cannot be made based solely on radiologic findings and clinical symptoms. To get a conclusive diagnosis of glomangiosarcoma, immunohistochemical staining in addition to hematoxylin and eosin staining is needed.
Histologically, glomangiosarcomas differ from benign glomus tumors in that they include sheets of uniform, round to oval cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm, many vascular spaces, and cellular pleomorphism linked to frequent mitotic figures.
Glomangiosarcomas display many of the same antigens as their benign counterparts on immunohistochemical labeling; these antigens include vimentin, smooth muscleactin, and muscle-specific actin. On the other hand, benign tumors stain more highly for actin and myosin, and malignant tumors stain more intensely for vimentin. Studies conducted in the past have also revealed changes in the expression of Bcl-2 and p53 in comparison to benign glomus tumors.
Although Mohs micrographic surgery has been previously described, the standard of care for malignant glomus tumors still involves wide local excision with negative surgical margins. It is not currently advised to use adjuvant chemotherapy for primary glomangiosarcoma.
↑Pérez de la Fuente T, Vega C, Gutierrez Palacios A, Sanchez Lorenzo J, Gonzalez Sarasua J (2005). "Glomangiosarcoma of the hypothenar eminence: a case report". Chirurgie de la Main. 24 (3–4): 199–202. doi:10.1016/j.main.2005.06.006. PMID16121631.
1234Kayal JD, Hampton RW, Sheehan DJ, Washington CV (September 2001). "Malignant glomus tumor: a case report and review of the literature". Dermatologic Surgery. 27 (9): 837–40. doi:10.1097/00042728-200109000-00011. PMID11553174.
↑Hiruta N, Kameda N, Tokudome T, etal. (September 1997). "Malignant glomus tumor: a case report and review of the literature". The American Journal of Surgical Pathology. 21 (9): 1096–103. doi:10.1097/00000478-199709000-00015. PMID9298887.