GLOMUS TUMOR - A HISTOLOGICA, HISTOCHEMICAL AND IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF THE VARIOUS TYPES

Glomus tumors are benign lesions composed of vessels and glomocytes in varying proportions. The histological appearance of the tumors depend upon the ratio of the vascular to the glomus cells and their differen tiation as well as upon the amount and composition of the stroma. The aim of the present study was the establishment of criteria for the dis tinction of glomus tumor-like malformations from neoplasms with glomus cell differentiation. Using a panel of monoclonal and polyclonal anti bodies (vimentin, a-smooth muscle actin, desmin, pan-keratin, low mole cular weight cytokeratin, EMA, NSE, S-1 00 protein, Factor VIII, a1-AC T) glomus tumors could be separated into three types: vascular, cellul ar with myxoid stroma and cellular, solid type. In the first two types the tumor growth is composed of all three components found in normal glomus body, but in a haphazard fashion and thus might be considered a s tumor-like malformations. The third type is composed of perivascular arranged cells most of which acquire the phenotypical characteristics of glomocytes. This last tumor probably represent the neoplastic vari ant of the group of lesions designated by the term glomus tumor.