The value of flow cytometric analysis in multicentric glomus tumors of the head and neck.

Glomus tumors of the head and neck include those arising from the carotid body, jugular vein, and vagus nerve. Because these cannot be differentiated histologically, when encountering a large tumor mass involving more than one structure in the carotid sheath, one often cannot be sure whether the tumors are from one or more of these structures. The authors performed DNA flow cytometric analysis on a patient with a multicentric glomus tumor on the right side of the neck involving the carotid body, jugular vein, and vagus nerve, in an effort to determine the separate or similar origin of her tumor mass. Different DNA indices, including a double peak for the carotid body tumor, were obtained. There were three aneuploid tumors and one diploid tumor (DNA indices: carotid body 1.78, 2.04; jugular vein 2.20; vagus nerve 1.82). Different synthetic phase fractions were calculated for each aneuploid tumor except the second carotid body peak (carotid body 7.2; jugular vein 3.6; vagus nerve 4.8). The authors conclude that DNA flow cytometry may be useful in confirming the multicentric origin of tumors that encompass more than one histologically similar structure.