A Case of Gastric Glomus Tumor Diagnosed Preoperatively as Primary Gastric Neuroendocrine Tumor

Abstract

A 41-year-old woman underwent an upper gastrointestinal contrast examination during a medical checkup, indicating gastric submucosal tumor. She visited our hospital for further examination. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed an elevated lesion covered with healthy mucosa in the gastric antrum, and she was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumor (NET)-G1 by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA).
Surgery for laparoscopic gastric local excision was performed alongside intraoperative ultrasonography. Histological findings showed poorly atypical uniform round cells proliferating between rich vasculature, and gastric glomus tumor was diagnosed based on the results of immunostaining. Glomus tumors are non-epithelial tumors that frequently occur under the skin of the limbs and trunk. Although onset in the gastrointestinal tract is rare, when they do occur, many are primary gastric tumors. In light of the rarity of the tumor and the histological features, these tumors are difficult to diagnose, but EUS-FNA and immunostaining are the most important methods for diagnosis. We feel that in surgery for gastric glomus tumors, laparoscopic gastric local excision may be an appropriate surgical technique, and combined use of intraoperative ultrasonography or intraoperative gastrointestinal endoscopy offers the potential for safer surgical procedures.