Fibrous dysplasia of the skull with acromegaly and sarcomatous transformation. Two cases with a review of the literature

Frequency of spontaneous osteosarcomatous transformation of craniofacial fibrous dysplasia: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

A systematic review was undertaken to examine the spontaneous of craniofacial fibrous dysplasia (FD) into osteosarcoma (OS).

STUDY DESIGN

Five databases were searched, and data were evaluated in 2 subsets: (1) frequency analysis involving only cross-sectional studies that specifically examined patients for osteosarcomatous transformation, thereby allowing a calculation of the frequency of transformation of craniofacial FD, and (2) case analysis of case reports and case series of FD that underwent osteosarcomatous transformation. Quality assessment of the studies in the frequency and case analyses was performed.

RESULTS

Seven cross-sectional studies involving 779 patients in the frequency analysis documented transformation of craniofacial FD into OS in 13 patients, for a frequency of 1.67%. Of the 18 separate cases of osteosarcomatous transformation in the case analysis, 11 (61.1%) occurred in females, 11 (61.1%) developed from monostotic FD, and 7 (38.9%) arose in the mandible, with 5 in the maxilla (27.8%) and 6 (33.3%) in other craniofacial sites. The mean age of the patients at the time of malignant diagnosis was 36.4 years, with an average of 11.3 years from FD diagnosis to the appearance of OS. The quality of the articles ranged from fair to excellent.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of osteosarcomatous transformation of craniofacial FD is low, but the possibility of transformation should be taken into consideration by clinicians, as this will guide treatment and follow-up regimens.

Germline and somatic genetics of osteosarcoma - connecting aetiology, biology and therapy

Clinical outcomes and treatment modalities for osteosarcoma, the most common primary cancer of bone, have changed very little over the past 30 years. The peak incidence of osteosarcoma occurs during the adolescent growth spurt, which suggests that bone growth and pubertal hormones are important in the aetiology of the disease. Tall stature, high birth weight and certain inherited cancer predisposition syndromes are well-described risk factors for osteosarcoma. Common genetic variants are also associated with osteosarcoma. The somatic genome of osteosarcoma is highly aneuploid, exhibits extensive intratumoural heterogeneity and has a higher mutation rate than most other paediatric cancers. Complex pathways related to bone growth and development and tumorigenesis are also important in osteosarcoma biology. In this Review, we discuss the contributions of germline and somatic genetics, tumour biology and animal models in improving our understanding of osteosarcoma aetiology, and their potential to identify novel therapeutic targets and thus improve the lives of patients with osteosarcoma.

Exponentially growing osteosarcoma of mandible with acromegaly

BACKGROUND

Osteosarcoma of the head and neck is aggressive malignancy that might be affected by growth hormone. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate an unusual case of osteosarcoma with acromegaly.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This case is about a 39-year-old woman with an osteosarcoma of the mandible, who had a history of exponential tumor growth in spite of chemotherapy at another hospital. She transferred to Samsung Medical Center and underwent a wide resection of tumor and free flap reconstruction. During postoperative care, a brain MRI and hormonal test revealed a growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma, and then a transsphenoidal approach pituitary tumor removal was performed. Immunohistochemistry of the osteosarcoma indicated positive for insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-2 and somatostatin receptor.

CONCLUSION

This study proved the IGF-2 and somatostatin receptor from the osteosarcoma of the patient with acromegaly, and this could explain that the growth hormone secreting from the pituitary adenoma might be a risk factor of therapeutic intractability and growth acceleration of osteosarcoma. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E2432-E2436, 2016.

Acromegaly and McCune-Albright syndrome

BACKGROUND

McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) includes the triad of poly/monostotic fibrous dysplasia, café-au-lait spots, and hyperfunctioning endocrinopathies. Acromegaly affects around 20% of MAS patients.

AIMS

The objective was to review all reported cases of acromegaly associated with MAS.

METHODS

All studies and case reports of acromegaly in patients with MAS were systematically sought in the world literature up to January 2013. We also included new data (from three unreported cases) and updated data on 23 previously reported patients from our two centers.

RESULTS

We reviewed the cases of 112 patients (65 males). Mean age at diagnosis of acromegaly was 24.4 years (range, 3-64). Among the 40 pediatric patients, 23 (57%) had precocious puberty. GH/IGF-1 excess was suggested by accelerated growth in 85% of pediatric cases. Acromegaly was almost always associated with skull base fibrous dysplasia. Modern imaging techniques (computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging) revealed an adenoma in 54% of the patients (macroadenoma in more than two-thirds). Median GH levels and mean IGF-1 SD score at diagnosis were 57 μg/L (2.8 to 291 μg/L) and 8 (2.3 to 24), respectively. Hyperprolactinemia was present in 81% (mean, 149 μg/L; range, 21-600). Pituitary surgery, performed in 25 cases, very rarely cured the GH/IGF-1 excess. Somatostatin analogs improved GH/IGF-1 levels in most patients but achieved control of acromegaly in only 17 (30%) of 56 patients. Pegvisomant achieved normal IGF-1 levels in 10 of 13 cases.

CONCLUSION

Acromegaly, which is present in 20-30% of patients with MAS, raises particular diagnostic and therapeutic issues.

A case of McCune-Albright syndrome associated with pituitary GH adenoma: therapeutic process and autopsy

BACKGROUND

McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) is a clinical syndrome with low incidence, and its concurrence with pituitary GH adenoma is rare. Little of the history, treatment and outcome has been studied.

METHOD

Follow-up of a 37-year-old male patient of MAS associated with pituitary GH adenoma was performed continuously recording the disease development and the treatment process until death, after which an autopsy was performed.

RESULTS

Radiation therapy (RT) efficaciously controlled GH hypersecretion, however, it may have been the cause of the malignant transformation of the dysplastic bone tissue, which eventually caused brain hernia and death; autopsy demonstrated that the cranium had significant thickening (as much as 10 cm), the pathological diagnosis was fibrous dysplasia of bone associated with chondrosarcoma; and undifferentiated chondrosarcoma with malignant fibrous histocytoma subtype in the sellar region; nodular goiter with the thyroid gland, one nodus was pathologically demonstrated as papillary carcinoma.

CONCLUSION

GH adenoma, present in a patient with MAS, might be cured by RT; but the risk of malignant transformation of the dysplastic bone tissue in the field of irradiation make it controversial. Lessons from the case reported here told us that we should take great caution when recommending RT for patients like this.

A lateral approach at the upper corner of the orbit in fronto-orbital fibrous dysplasia: less invasive and more effective approach for morphologic reconstruction and optic functional restoration

OBJECTIVE

To explore the concise surgical approach to treat complicated intracranio- and extracranio-orbital fibrous dysplasia.

METHODS

A lateral approach started at the upper corner of the orbit was used in subtotal resection of fronto-orbital fibrous dysplasia, involving the frontal, orbital, sphenoid, and temporal bones. Subtotal lesion removal and optic nerve decompression were performed after unilateral frontotemporal craniotomy. Reshaping of the frontotemporal bone flap was then carried out for replacing to gain better shape of the fronto-orbital region. Radiological examinations and visual functional evaluations were conducted before and after the operation.

RESULTS

In our series of 21 cases, better fronto-orbital contour has been received, except 1 case of relapse in a teenager. The follow-up period ranged from 9 months to 3 years. Improvement in visual function was obtained in 19 cases of vision impairment.

CONCLUSION

Lateral approach that starts at the upper orbital rim and temporal fossa is a concise approach in correction of fronto-orbital fibrous dysplasia.

McCune-Albright syndrome and acromegaly: hormonal control with use of cabergoline and long-acting somatostatin--case report

OBJECTIVES

The use of drug therapy based on cabergoline, octreotide and long-acting release (LAR) octreotide has presented varying results in the treatment of GH excessive production in patients with McCune-Albright Syndrome.

METHODS

We report the case of a 29 year-old female patient presenting McCune-Albright Syndrome and complaint of excessive bone growth.

RESULTS

The patient presented a pituitary adenoma involving the right internal carotid artery and excessive secretion of growth hormone (no GH suppression was observed after the oral glucose tolerance test). Due to the presence of diffuse thickness in skull base bones, surgical approach was not considered effective and the patient was submitted to drug therapy with octreotide LAR and cabergoline. At the one year follow-up, GH and IGF-1 levels were normal and no adverse effects were present.

CONCLUSION

The use of drug therapy based on the association of cabergoline and octreotide is safe and able to achieve complete hormonal control in the treatment of acromegaly for McCune-Albright patients.

Transsphenoidal surgery in a patient with acromegaly and McCune-Albright syndrome: application of neuronavigation

The McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) is characterized by a clinical triad of polyostotic fibrous dysplasia, café-au-lait hyperpigmented macules, and hypersecretory endocrinopathies. Acromegaly is an uncommon manifestation of the endocrine disturbance associated with MAS, and the role of surgery in managing these cases has been a topic of debate. The authors present the case of a 35-year-old man with MAS who was also diagnosed with acromegaly, hyperprolactinemia, and pituitary macroadenoma. The patient had an 18-year history of fibrous dysplasia involving the right frontal bone and ribs as well as multiple endocrinopathies, but no cutaneous hyperpigmented macules. An oral glucose tolerance test demonstrated partial suppression of plasma levels of growth hormone (GH). The patient underwent transsphenoidal resection of the pituitary tumor, performed with assistance of neuronavigation, and tolerated the procedure well. After the surgery, both prolactin and GH levels returned to normal. These results suggest that neuronavigation-assisted transsphenoidal surgery can safely remove pituitary adenomas associated with MAS and successfully treat the underlying endocrine abnormalities.

A case of McCune-Albright syndrome with associated multiple endocrinopathies

McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) is a rare disorder that develops from an activating mutation in the Gs gene. It is characterized by an association with Polyostotic fibrous dysplasia, and precocious puberty, Caf-au-lait pigmentation, and other endocrinopathies that result from the hyperactivity of a variety of endocrine glands. Recently we encountered a patient with MAS with fibrous dysplasia, skin pigmentation, acromegaly, hyperprolactinemia and a thyroid nodule. A 23-year-old male presented for an evaluation of a change in his facial structures. Fibrous dysplasia was diagnosed by a bone biopsy and radiographic studies. The GH level increased paradoxically after an oral glucose load. The plasma prolactin, IGF-1 and alkaline phosphatase were high. Thyroid ultrasonography revealed multiple nodules. The brain MRI demonstrated a mass in the left pituitary gland. Genetic analysis identified a change from Arg (CGT) at codon 201 to Cys (TGT).

McCune-Albright syndrome and acromegaly: effects of hypothalamopituitary radiotherapy and/or pegvisomant in somatostatin analog-resistant patients

BACKGROUND

Acromegaly, which may be present in patients with McCune-Albright syndrome (MCAS), in association with café-au-lait spots, precocious puberty, and fibrous dysplasia, is often difficult to treat surgically because skull base bone dysplasia prevents the removal of the pituitary adenoma. Somatostatin analogs (SAs) generally give only partial responses. The use of radiotherapy (RT) is controversial because of a possible risk of bone sarcomatous transformation.

AIM

This study was a retrospective analysis of the efficacy and adverse effects of different treatment modalities in six patients with both MCAS and acromegaly.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Because surgery was impossible and SA failed to normalize GH/IGF-I hypersecretion, five of the six patients received fractionated RT (45-55 Grays). Three patients (two with previous RT) were also prescribed pegvisomant. We analyzed the clinical features of acromegaly, GH, and IGF-I concentrations and bone radiological features.

RESULTS

GH and IGF-I concentrations fell after RT (median follow-up, 5 yr; range, 0.5-9 yr). Symptoms of acromegaly improved in parallel. Bone sarcomatous transformation was only noted in one patient in a region (the mandible) outside the radiation field. RT alone and/or combined with SA failed to normalize GH/IGF-I levels in the five patients concerned. In contrast, IGF-I levels normalized very rapidly (5-9 months) in the three patients receiving pegvisomant (10-20 mg/d).

CONCLUSION

RT may be an option for the treatment of acromegaly in patients with MCAS when surgery is impossible and SA therapy is ineffective. However, although no bone sarcomatous transformation was observed within the radiation field in this series, this risk cannot be ruled out. As shown in this small series of severely affected patients, pegvisomant therapy may thus be useful to normalize IGF-I levels rapidly.

Osteosarcoma and acromegaly: a case report and review of the literature

A 72-yr-old acromegalic man, who presented with pain in the left femur, was found to have a metastatic osteosarcoma. Only three cases describing the coexistence of acromegaly and osteosarcoma have been reported by the literature. As the patient didn't have other risk factors for osteosarcoma, the hypothesis that accelerated rate of bone turnover caused by long-term exposure to high GH and IGF-I could act as a predisposing factor in the development of this malignant bone tumor is discussed.

McCune-Albright syndrome: growth hormone and prolactin hypersecretion

McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) has a special interest for endocrinologists as its pathogenesis results in hypersecretion of hormones in peripheral endocrine tissues. This can be expressed as precocious puberty, mainly in girls, primary hyperthyroidism, growth hormone (GH) and/or prolactin excess, hyperparathyroidism and hypercortisolism. The incidence of GH excess among patients with MAS has been assessed as up to 21%. The pathogenesis of GH hypersecretion in MAS is not completely understood, whereas it seems to be different from the aetiology of acromegaly/gigantism in non-MAS patients. The clinical expression of GH excess can be masked because of precocious puberty or craniofacial fibrous dysplasia, indicating the necessity for screening. Medical treatment is usually the only option in MAS patients with GH excess, as transsphenoidal surgery is usually restricted due to massive thickening of the skull base, whereas radiotherapy is contraindicated due to probable higher predisposition to sarcomatous transformation. The use of bromocriptine, cabergoline and octreotide, or the combination of these, has shown variable results, whereas pegvisomant, a GH receptor antagonist, is a new promising option, although not yet used in patients with MAS.

Unilateral Exophthalmos Associated with Severe Fibrous Dysplasia

Fibrous dysplasia is a benign developmental anomaly of bone, often affecting craniofacial bones. We report on a 9-year-old boy, who presented for routine checkup. Clinical examination revealed unilateral exophthalmos of his left eye without decrease of visual acuity or double vision. Radiologic studies showed characteristic extensive changes of fibrous dysplasia involving the left frontal bone, left orbital bones, maxillary and sphenoid bones. The patient was started on conservative therapy and the condition of the affected eye remained stable. As fibrous dysplasia of the orbital bones can be a cause of significant dysfunction and a treatable cause of blindness, early diagnosis is very important. These patients are most likely to present with complaints of facial asymmetry, including axial, vertical, or horizontal displacement of the globe, or visual loss. Therefore the ophthalmologist plays an important role in the early diagnosis of fibrous dysplasia.

Systemic complications of acromegaly: epidemiology, pathogenesis, and management

This review focuses on the systemic complications of acromegaly. Mortality in this disease is increased mostly because of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, although currently neoplastic complications have been questioned as a relevant cause of increased risk of death. Biventricular hypertrophy, occurring independently of hypertension and metabolic complications, is the most frequent cardiac complication. Diastolic and systolic dysfunction develops along with disease duration; and other cardiac disorders, such as arrhythmias, valve disease, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and endothelial dysfunction, are also common in acromegaly. Control of acromegaly by surgery or pharmacotherapy, especially somatostatin analogs, improves cardiovascular morbidity. Respiratory disorders, sleep apnea, and ventilatory dysfunction are also important contributors in increasing mortality and are advantageously benefitted by controlling GH and IGF-I hypersecretion. An increased risk of colonic polyps, which more frequently recur in patients not controlled after treatment, has been reported by several independent investigations, although malignancies in other organs have also been described, but less convincingly than at the gastrointestinal level. Finally, the most important cause of morbidity and functional disability of the disease is arthropathy, which can be reversed at an initial stage, but not if the disease is left untreated for several years.

Acromegaly with fibrous dysplasia: McCune-Albright Syndrome -- clinical studies in 3 cases and brief review of literature--

The McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) is characterized by a triad of poly/monostotic fibrous dysplasia, café-au-lait macules and hyperfunctioning endocrinopathies including growth hormone (GH) excess. Polyostotic bone lesions and café-au-lait macules are common while monostotic bone lesions are rare. Similarly, acromegaly as a manifestation of endocrine hyperfunction with MAS is uncommon and in most of the instances somatotropinoma has not been documented. We report 3 patients, two of them had monostotic lesion, none had café-au-lait macules and all had GH secreting pituitary macroadenoma. All of them underwent transfrontal pituitary adenomectomy and had histopathological confirmation of GH secreting pituitary adenoma. A brief review of literature is also presented.

Tumors of the skull base in children: review of tumor types and management strategies

Although many treatment strategies for skull base tumors in adults have been reported, relatively little has been reported regarding such therapies in the pediatric population. Skull base tumors in children present a therapeutic challenge because of their unique pathological composition, the constraints of the maturing skull and brain, and the small size of the patients. In this review, the authors examine the pediatric skull base lesions that occur in the anterior, middle, and posterior cranial base, focusing on unique pediatric tumors such as encepahalocele, fibrous dysplasia, esthesioneuroblastoma, craniopharyngioma, juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma, cholesteatoma, chordoma, chondrosarcoma, and Ewing sarcoma. They review management strategies that include radio- and chemotherapy, as well as surgical approaches with emphasis on the modifications and complications associated with the procedures as they apply in children. Evidence for the advantages and limitations of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery as it pertains to the pediatric population will be examined. With a working knowledge of skull base anatomy and special considerations of the developing craniofacial skeleton, neurosurgeons can treat skull base lesions in children with acceptable morbidity and mortality rates. Outcomes in this population may be better than those in adults, in part because of the benign histopathology that frequently affects the pediatric skull base, as well as the plasticity of the maturing nervous system.

Monostotic fronto-orbital fibrous dysplasia with convulsion--case report

A 28-year-old man presented with monostotic fronto-orbital fibrous dysplasia associated with convulsions. Signs of meningeal irritation were observed. Computed tomography (CT) showed right frontal sinusitis, and destruction from the inner to outer table with expansion of the diploic space. T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging showed an abnormal low-intensity mass, with heterogeneous gadolinium enhancement. Although the meningitis resolved, signs of infection continued for 2 months due to sinusitis. Treatment of the right frontal sinusitis was undertaken, accompanied by open biopsy. The histological diagnosis was fibrous dysplasia. Once the infection had completely resolved, orbitofrontal reconstruction was undertaken. Cranioplasty was carried out using cranial bone cement. Three-dimensional CT was valuable to show the likely postoperative result.

A case of pituitary adenoma associated with McCune-Albright syndrome

A 11-year-old boy presented with right temporal hemianopsia and was evaluated of a possible pituitary adenoma. At the age of six, he underwent surgery for facial deformities due to fibrous dysplasia. On admission, he had acromegalic features, was 170 cm tall, weighing 66 kg. The left side of his face was slightly deformed, and a café-au-lait spot was found on his right face. Endocrinologic examination revealed elevated basal level of serum GH (103.6 ng/ml, normal < 3 ng/ml) and PRL (259.1 ng/ml, normal < 30 ng/ml). Other endocrine functions were normal. CT showed hyperostosis of the right frontal, occipital, sphenoidal and maxillary bones. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a pituitary macroadenoma with intraadenomatous cyst. On the basis of physical, endocrinologic and neuroradiologic examination, our diagnosis was pituitary adenoma with McCune-Albright syndrome. Surgery was performed by subfrontal approach. By light microscopy, the pituitary tumor represented a typical acidophilic adenoma. Immunoreactivity for GH and PRL were evident in most of the adenoma cells. Double immunostaining for GH and PRL demonstrated the co-existence of the two hormones in a few adenoma cells. However the majority of cells expressed only one hormone. After surgery the right temporal hemianopsia improved. Postsurgical endocrinologic examination revealed reduction in basal serum GH and PRL levels. Administration of bromocriptine decreased blood PRL levels but it had a limited action on GH hypersecretion.

Fibrous dysplasia of the spine with sarcomatous transformation: a case report and review of the literature

A fibrosarcoma is reported in the spine of a 53-year-old man with polyostotic fibrous dysplasia. There was no history of endocrine disturbances and no previous irradiation. Malignant transformation in fibrous dysplasia is rare. A review of the literature reveals 101 cases of malignant degeneration occurring in fibrous dysplasia. We believe that this is the first report of sarcomatous change arising in an area of fibrous dysplasia in the spine.

Osteosarcomas of the skull. Clinical remarks on 19 cases

BACKGROUND

Osteosarcomas are typically long bone tumors and rarely affect the skull, with most articles reporting single cases. As elsewhere in the body, these lesions may be classified as primary or secondary, chiefly post-Paget and post-radiation therapy.

METHODS

The authors reviewed the osteosarcomas of the skull diagnosed at the Division of Neurosurgery of "La Sapienza" University of Rome. The patients were placed into two groups, according to the treatment received (prechemotherapeutic era and chemotherapeutic era). In the last five patients, a diagnostic-therapeutic protocol was adopted.

RESULTS

The most effective investigations are plain radiographs, computed tomography (CT) with bone windows, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with the latter two allowing assessment of the extraosseous extent of the disease. Chemotherapy has changed the prognosis dramatically, achieving cure in some cases (especially in de novo osteosarcomas). Before the age of chemotherapy, the median survival length was 16 months, but since its introduction, five of nine patients in this study are alive 2 years after diagnosis. The onset of metastases, chiefly to the lung, does not necessarily imply a poor prognosis. The authors propose a schedule for the diagnosis and treatment of new cases of osteosarcoma of the skull.

CONCLUSIONS

Plain radiographs, CT targeted on the bone, and MRI are the most important diagnostic tools. Aggressive chemotherapy together with surgery (eventually including local radiation therapy in nontotal macroscopic surgical removal of the lesions) can drastically modify the prognosis of de novo and post-radiation therapy osteosarcomas.