Myxoma of the toe.Case report

Abstract

This is a case presentation of a rare myxoma of the toe occurring in a 72‐year‐old woman. After briefly reviewing the literature and enumerating the criteria for recognizing myxomas of the phalanges, the authors attempt to justify the diagnosis of myxoma in this particular instance.

Myxoma of a Lesser Toe Distal Phalynx

“…3,13 Because of this relationship, Jaffe felt that these tumors represented a mesenchymal arrest. 12 Dahlin felt that this tumor represented a "peculiar degeneration of a chondroma." 12 In this case the toe was entirely normal in size and contour until her problem started 10 years previously, consistent with Jaffe's theory of a mesenchymal arrest in our case.…”

“…12 Dahlin felt that this tumor represented a "peculiar degeneration of a chondroma." 12 In this case the toe was entirely normal in size and contour until her problem started 10 years previously, consistent with Jaffe's theory of a mesenchymal arrest in our case. Because the tumor was benign and very slow growing, her myxoma likely could have been treated with a local excision with curettage had it been diagnosed earlier.…”

“…1,6,[9][10][11]15 Myxomas commonly evolve from a mesenchymal arrest within bone, eroding it internally, and typically without bone scalloping, less fibrous, and not directly affecting nail growth. 12 Fine needle or core biopsy has been advocated to establish the correct diagnosis early before definitive treatment 2,4,8 (Figure 5, A and B). When the tumor is extra-osseous, a cutaneous core biopsy punch can be used to harvest tissue for pathologic evaluation.…”

“…There have been only 2 reports of a myxoma affecting the foot in the English literature. 7,12 The differential diagnosis of neoplasms arising in the toe is extensive. Delays in the diagnosis and treatment in this case illustrate the difficulty with recognition and treatment of these tumors.…”

Cartilage-forming Tumors

“…Cartilage-forming Tumors tionally, a chondroblastoma may metastasize to the lungs as a benign tumor, as reported by Green and Whittaker (1975), , Riddell et al (1973), and mentioned by , who has seen pulmonary specimens, from four such benign metastasizing tumors, although none occurred in the Mayo Clinic series of 44 cases. The few cases reported in the literature as myxomas or myxofibromas (Bauer and Harell 1954;Scaglietti and Stringa 1956;Marcove et al 1964;Perou et al 1967;McLure and Dahlin 1977) are probably mostly chondromyxoid fibromas, because myxomas of bone seem to be peculiar to the jaws and of odontogenic origin, and apparently have no counterpart or at least are exceptional in other bones of the skeleton. Chondromyxoid fibroma, which is the least common benign tumor of cartilage derivation, was described in 1948 by Jaffe and Lichtenstein as a distinctive entity; it was formerly regarded as a myxoma (Bloodgood 1924) or a myxomatous variant of giant-cell tumor, or mistaken for a malignant lesion, especially chondrosarcoma, chondromyxosarcoma, or myxosarcoma (Ottolenghi and Petracchi 1953).…”