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Excision of nasal glomangiomyoma achieved microscopic clearance and no recurrence at 6-month follow-upDoctors confirm surgery can remove persistent facial glomus tumors

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Key Takeaway
Consider glomus tumors in the differential diagnosis of persistent superficial facial nodules.

This case report and review describes the clinical presentation and surgical management of a nasal glomangiomyoma in a 63-year-old woman. The report focuses on the histopathological diagnosis and follow-up of a superficial facial tumor.

Following excision, the lesion achieved a microscopic clearance of 0.5 mm. Immunohistochemistry confirmed that glomus cells expressed smooth muscle actin, while the smooth-muscle component showed strong desmin positivity. At the 6-month follow-up, there was no clinical evidence of recurrence.

The authors note that the literature indicates limited cases of superficial facial glomus tumors. The primary limitation of this evidence is the small sample size of a single case report.

Clinically, the report suggests that glomus tumors should be considered in the differential diagnosis of persistent superficial facial nodules, even those that appear clinically benign. The findings are limited by the lack of a larger cohort to confirm these outcomes.

Imagine a small, persistent bump on your face that just won't go away. For many people, these tiny nodules can be frustrating and confusing to diagnose. A recent case report of a 63-year-old woman highlights how these specific growths, known as glomus tumors, can appear on the face and require careful surgical removal.

The woman had a glomangiomyoma, a type of glomus tumor, in her nose. Doctors performed a procedure to cut out the growth. After the surgery, they checked the tissue under a microscope and found the area was clear. They also used special staining to confirm the exact type of cells involved in the growth.

While this was a single case, it serves as an important reminder for doctors. It shows that even if a facial bump looks harmless, it could be a glomus tumor. The patient had no signs of the growth coming back six months after the surgery. Because these cases are rare, this report helps doctors recognize these tumors when they see similar symptoms in their patients.

What this means for you:
Surgical removal can successfully treat facial glomus tumors, which often look like harmless skin bumps.

Common questions

What is a glomus tumor?

A glomus tumor is a type of growth that can appear in different parts of the body. In this specific case, the patient had a glomangiomyoma, which is a type of glomus tumor located in the nose. These tumors can sometimes look like harmless bumps on the skin but require surgical removal to be cleared.

Is it safe to remove these tumors with surgery?

In this case, the patient underwent a procedure to remove the lesion. The doctors confirmed the area was clear under a microscope and found no evidence of the tumor returning during the six-month follow-up period. You should talk to your doctor to see if surgery is the right option for your specific condition.

How common are these facial tumors?

These specific types of facial glomus tumors are not very common. Because they are rare, they can sometimes be hard for doctors to identify. This case helps doctors recognize these tumors when they see patients with persistent facial nodules that do not go away on their own.

Study Details

Study typeSystematic review
EvidenceLevel 1
PublishedOct 2026
View Original Abstract ↓
Glomus tumors are uncommon pericytic neoplasms that most frequently occur in the subungual regions of the extremities, while superficial facial localization is rare and may present a diagnostic challenge. We report a nasal glomangiomyoma in a 63-year-old woman presenting as a painless, slowly enlarging subcutaneous mass of the upper right nasal sidewall that was clinically suspected to represent a lipoma. The lesion was completely excised, with the closest resection margin free of tumor at a microscopic clearance of 0.5 mm. Histopathological examination demonstrated vascular spaces surrounded by uniform epithelioid glomus cells together with fascicles of elongated spindle cells showing smooth-muscle differentiation and a gradual morphological transition between the two components. Immunohistochemically, the glomus cells expressed smooth muscle actin, while the smooth-muscle component showed strong desmin positivity; proliferative activity was low. These findings supported the diagnosis of glomangiomyoma. No clinical evidence of recurrence was observed at 6-month follow-up. A focused review of the literature identified a limited number of reported superficial facial glomus tumors, many of which presented without the characteristic pain associated with digital lesions. This case highlights that glomus tumors should be considered in the differential diagnosis of persistent superficial facial nodules, including clinically benign-appearing lesions, and emphasizes the importance of histopathological evaluation for definitive diagnosis and appropriate classification.
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