Glomus tumor in the second toe: a clinical insight

Glomus tumors are rare benign tumors commonly occurring in the digits of the hand. Surprisingly, considering the fingertips are of a similar make-up to the toes, there have been few reports of glomus tumor in the toes. The present case highlights a glomus tumor observed in the right second toe of a 56-year-old Indian female who presented with the classical triad of spontaneous pain, cold hypersensitivity, and pressure tenderness. There was a delay in diagnosis for approximately 18 years by various general practitioners who were not aware of the rare presentation of the glomus tumor. The tumor, which measured 5 x 3 mm, was excised from the nail bed of the toe. Histopathological inspection confirmed the diagnosis of glomus tumor. We believe that reporting this rare case may make clinicians more aware of this unusual diagnosis.