# Management of Glomus Tumors: Experience From a Tertiary Care Centre in India

## TL;DR

This paper shares clinical experience on managing glomus tumors, rare soft tissue growths often missed due to their rarity, at a hospital in India.

## Contribution

The study provides insights into the clinical presentation and management of glomus tumors in a specific Indian tertiary care setting.

## Key findings

- Most glomus tumors (81.8%) were found in the nail bed, with significant diagnostic delays in most cases.
- Complete excision was effective, with no recurrence observed in the 11 cases studied.
- Pain was a common symptom, while visible lumps were rare, especially in nail bed tumors.

## Abstract

Background: Glomus tumors are uncommon soft tissue tumors that typically develop in the distal extremities, especially the finger's subungual area. Pain, soreness, and temperature intolerance, particularly cold sensitivity, make up its traditional clinical triad. There is a relative rarity in the literature on this topic, and we have analyzed and thereby discussed our experience in these cases.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed at a tertiary care centre in Jammu, India. All patients diagnosed with glomus tumor from October 2022 to August 2024 were included in the study. Conventional radiographs, ultrasonography (USG), and MRI were the investigation modalities used for diagnosis. Tumors excised were sent for histopathological examination (HPE) for pathological diagnosis.

Results: A total of 11 cases of glomus tumor were diagnosed from October 2022 to August 2024, and the relevant demographic and clinical data were reported. Out of 11 cases, nine (81.8%) were located in the nail bed, while two (18.2%) were located in the volar pulp. Pain was present in almost all the cases, while a lump was visible in only one case of volar pulp tumor. There was a considerable delay in diagnosis in the majority of cases. There were no cases of recurrence.

Conclusion: Due to their rarity, glomus tumors are frequently overlooked by clinicians due to a lack of a strong index of suspicion, which typically results in treatment being delayed. Once identified, glomus tumors can be effectively treated with complete excision.