Published online Dec 18, 2016. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v7.i12.843
Peer-review started: May 12, 2016
First decision: June 4, 2016
Revised: August 27, 2016
Accepted: September 21, 2016
Article in press: September 23, 2016
Published online: December 18, 2016
Glomus tumors are uncommon, benign, small neurovascular neoplasms derived from glomus bodies in the reticular dermis. Glomus bodies are found throughout the body to regulate body temperature and skin circulation; however, they are concentrated in the fingers and the sole of the foot. The typical presentation is a solitary nodule in the subungual or periungual area of the distal phalanx. The primary treatment of choice is surgical removal. We investigated expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) using immunohistochemistry in glomus tumors of the fingers. All five glomus tumor samples were positive for VEGF expression. VEGF immunoreactivity was largely localized to the cytoplasm of tumor cells, suggesting a contribution of VEGF to the vascularization of glomus tumors.
Core tip: Glomus tumors are uncommon, benign, small neurovascular neoplasms derived from glomus bodies in the reticular dermis. The role of vascular endothelial growth factor has never been investigated in glomus tumors of the fingers. This case report demonstrated high vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in the glomus tumors of the fingers, suggesting a contribution of VEGF to the vascularization of glomus tumors.