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.