Gastric Glomus Tumor: A Rare Cause of Acute Blood Loss Anemia

A 65-Year-Old Man Presenting to the Emergency Department with Gastric Hemorrhage Caused by a Glomus Tumor

BACKGROUND Glomus tumor is a benign but rapidly growing mesenchymal tumor that is a rare in the gastrointestinal tract, can be locally invasive due to its rapid growth, and can result in perforation of a viscus. We report a 65-year-old man presenting as an emergency with gastric hemorrhage and gastric glomus tumor. CASE REPORT A 65-year-old man came to our hospital for a life-threatening upper digestive hemorrhage. The preoperative examinations (digestive endoscopy without sampling of biopsy fragments and contrast-enhanced computer tomography) led to the presumptive diagnosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Wedge resection of the gastric wall was performed. The histopathological examinations revealed a proliferation of round-oval cells of medium size with a solid disposition and in nests. This proliferation dissected the muscular tunic and caused ulceration of the gastric mucosa. Immunohistochemical tests confirmed the diagnosis of glomus tumor and excluded other diagnoses (neuroendocrine tumor or gastrointestinal stromal tumor). The postoperative evolution was favorable, and at the time of discharge, the biochemical test values normalized. CONCLUSIONS Pathologists are faced with a challenging task due to the deceptive appearance that can be presented by such a rare tumor. Histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations are essential in achieving a precise diagnosis and assessing the biological potential of the glomus tumor. Even if it is a benign tumor, the clinical picture it causes can still be a major risk to the patient's life. Consequently, ensuring effective case management becomes crucial, as it requires a thorough comprehension of all conditions encompassed in the differential diagnosis.