Glomus tumors are benign vascular tumors that can occur in various locations, including the skin, soft tissue, organs, and blood vessels. They can be classified into different subclasses based on their location and can be caused by genetic mutations. Although most glomus tumors are benign, they can become cancerous in rare cases. Treatment usually involves surgical removal, and biopsies are performed to confirm the diagnosis.
A glomus tumor, also called a glomangioma, is a type of benign vascular tumor. It is also known as a rare benign neoplasm. This type of tumor is a generic name given to vascular tumors that create an abnormal mass of cells, leading to growth.
In general, a glomus tumor is a term used to diagnose several skin conditions with benign dermal growths. There are several subclasses that can be considered glomus tumors. Growths are classified according to their location. A basic type of this tumor usually grows in the skin or soft tissue and is often confined to the limbs or under the nails, but can grow anywhere on the body, including organs. Glomus tumors are classified into groups based on their location.
A glomus coccygeal tumor is a type of benign tumor. This tumor grows in front of or just below the tailbone. The typical shape of this type of tumor is oval or oblong. In some cases, smaller coccygeal nodules are found around the larger tumor.
Glomus tympanic is another type of glomus tumor. It occurs when glomus cells in the blood vessels of the middle ear create a tumor. Usually, these tumors are discovered when someone complains of hearing throbbing sounds, has bleeding from the ear, and suffers from conductive hearing loss. A doctor will perform a physical exam and order a computed topography (CT) scan to diagnose this tumor.
Standard paragangliomas are also tumors of the glomus. A paraganglioma is a glomus tumor that grows in different places than typical glomus tumors. These particular tumors are usually found on the chest, abdomen, neck, or head.
Non-chromaffin paraganglioma is also classified with other forms of glomus tumors. Also called a chemodectoma, this type of tumor occurs in tissues that contain chemoreceptors. They are classified as glomus tumors because they look the same when removed and examined.
Glomus tumors can occur from any of four possible inherited or genetic mutations. If no mutation is found, the growth is considered random. When the cause comes from an inherited trait, it can often skip generations before showing up.
A glomus tumor is usually a single growth. There are some cases, however, where multiple growths appear clustered together. The tumors appear dark red or dark blue. Tumors under the nail may be white.
These tumors are most frequently removed surgically. While most glomus tumors are benign, there are rare cases where they become cancerous. If a person has a history of cancer, glomus tumors can start out benign but turn into cancerous tumors. Once the tumors are removed, they are biopsied.
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