Vascular Tumors of Bone: The Evolvement of a Classification Based on Molecular Developments

Epithelioid Hemangioma of the Spine: A Case Series and Treatment Flow Chart-Experience from a Single Centre

Epithelioid hemangioma is recognized by the World Health Organization as a distinct benign neoplasm; however, it is characterized by locally aggressive and rarely metastasizing behavior. Epithelioid vascular tumors are rare bony vascular lesions with varying degrees of malignant potential that remain controversial because of their rarity, unusual morphological features, and unpredictable biological behavior. The application of new molecular tools, such as massive parallel sequencing technologies, have provided new diagnostic markers and an opportunity to further refine the classification of bone vascular neoplasms. Very few cases of EH of the spine have been reported in the literature; therefore, it is difficult to make evidence-based therapeutic decisions for these patients. We report herein our experience with eleven patients suffering from EH of the spine. The study population included three males and eight females treated in our center from 2016 to the present; the average age was 44.8 years (range 14-75 years). The surgical, clinical, and radiographic data were retrospectively analyzed. The mean follow-up was 34.8 months. All patients presented lytic vertebral body lesions, six of them with pathological fracture. The majority of patients (80%) presented myelo-radicular compression. All patients were surgically treated, and preoperative embolization was performed in all cases. In light of the literature review and the clinical experience of our center, we can consider EH a locally aggressive tumor that requires surgical treatment in case of symptoms. Here, we propose a treatment algorithm that could be useful in the management of patients with this rare disease.

Primary vascular tumors of bone: A comprehensive literature review on classification, diagnosis and treatment

Primary vascular tumors of bone are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms, ranging from benign hemangiomas to frankly malignant epithelioid hemangioendotheliomas and angiosarcomas. Over the years, their classification has been a matter of discussion, due to morphologic similarities and uncertainty regarding biologic behavior. Over the past decade, with the development of next-generation sequencing, there has been a significant improvement in the molecular characterization of these lesions. The integration of their morphologic, immunohistochemical and molecular features has led to a better stratification, with important prognostic and therapeutic implications. Nevertheless, primary vascular bone tumors still represent a challenge for medical oncologists. Given their rarity and heterogeneity, in the last few years, there has been no significant progress in medical treatment options, so further research is needed. Here we present a review of the current knowledge regarding primary vascular tumors of the bone, correlating clinicopathologic features with tumor behavior and therapeutic approaches.

Fusion transcriptome profiling defines the monoclonal origin of multifocal epithelioid haemangioma of bone

AIMS

Epithelioid haemangioma (EH) of bone remains a highly controversial entity. Indeed, the WHO classifies EHs of soft tissues as benign tumours, whereas bone EHs are considered intermediate-locally aggressive tumours due to common multifocal presentation and local destructive growth. To gain insights into the clinical behaviour and biology of EH of bone we retrospectively analysed 42 patients treated in a single institution from 1978 to 2021.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Multifocal presentation was detected in 17 of 42 patients (40%) primarily as synchronous lesions. Patients were treated with curettage (57%), resection (29%) or biopsy, followed by radiotherapy or embolisation (14%). Follow-up (minimum 24 months) was available for 38 patients, with only five local recurrences (13%) and no death of disease. To clarify whether the synchronous bone lesions in multifocal EH represent multicentric disease or clonal dissemination, four cases were profiled by RNA-sequencing. Separate lesions from the same patient, which showed a similar transcriptional profile, expressed the same fusion transcript (involving FOS or FOSB) with identical gene breakpoints.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that, in EH of bone, multifocal lesions are clonally related and therefore represent the spread of a same neoplastic clone rather than simultaneous independent tumours. This finding is in apparent contradiction with the benign clinical course of the disease, and suggests that tumour dissemination in bone EH probably reflects a phenomenon of passive spreading, with tumour cells colonising distal sites while maintaining their benign biological nature.

Genomic Profiling of the Craniofacial Ossifying Fibroma by Next-Generation Sequencing

BACKGROUND

Ossifying fibroma (OF) of the craniofacial skeleton is a fibro-osseous lesion characterized by various patterns of bone formation in a cellular fibroblastic stroma. The molecular landscape of OF remains mostly unknown. There are a few known pathogenic abnormalities in OF, including HRPT2 mutations in conventional OF and SATB2 translocations in juvenile psammomatoid OF. On the other hand, conflicting reports exist regarding MDM2 gene amplification and chromosomal copy number alterations (CNA) in OF.

METHODS

Surgically removed biopsies and curettage specimens from OF patients were obtained. Clinical, radiographic, and pathologic features of tumors were reviewed. Genomic DNA was extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks of tumor tissue. Capture-based DNA next-generation sequencing targeting the coding regions 529 cancer genes and select introns was performed.

RESULTS

We identified 17 OF cases from 8 male and 8 female patients with mean age of 22 years (range 1-58 years). Nine case occurred in the gnathic bones and 8 in the extragnathic craniofacial bones. These cases included 3 juvenile psammomatoid OF, 6 conventional OF and 8 juvenile trabecular OF. Large-scale CNAs were present in 6 of 17 cases. Seven cases (41%) had focal amplifications including FOSB (n = 2, 11%), FOS (n = 4, 23%), COL1A1 (n = 4, 23%) and TBX3 (n = 5, 29%). Three cases (17%) had pathogenic CDC73 mutations. No cases showed focal MDM2 amplification.

CONCLUSIONS

Here, we provided a comprehensive molecular characterization of OF that reveals a heterogeneous genetic profile with occasional large-scale CNAs (n = 6, 35%). FOS, FOSB, and TBX3 genes that regulate AP-1 transcriptional complex are frequently altered in OF (n = 7, 41%), chiefly in juvenile trabecular OF. These genes encode transcription factors that act as downstream effectors of the MAP kinase signaling pathway. MDM2 amplification is an exceedingly rare event in OF, if present at all, so identification of this event should continue to raise concern for low-grade gnathic osteosarcoma. In summary, our findings suggest that OF represents a heterogeneous group of tumors at the genetic level but dysregulation of the AP-1 pathway may play a role in pathogenesis of juvenile trabecular OF.

Massive Calcified Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma With Multifocal Involvement: An Imaging Diagnosis Dilemma and a Rare Case Report

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare malignant vascular tumor that develops from vascular endothelial or pre-endothelial cells. More than 60% patients have single-organ involvement, and involvement of multiple organs including the liver, lungs, and bones is extremely rare. The typical radiographic features of EHE include multiple small nodules in both lungs, which are usually located near small- and medium-sized blood vessels and the bronchi, and solitary, multiple, or diffuse lesions located at the hepatic periphery, spreading within the branches of the portal and hepatic veins. Radiologic calcification has been rarely reported in the literature. Here, we firstly described a case of a 53-year-old woman with EHE who presented with lungs, liver, bone, and right hilar lymph node involvement, manifesting as massive calcification on computed tomography. This case reminds physicians that EHE may present with unusual imaging manifestations, like massive calcification, and should be considered during the diagnostic process.

Recurrent Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma of Calcaneum: A Case Report of a Rare Tumor

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is an uncommon malignant vascular tumor characterized by epithelioid or histiocytoid endothelial appearance. Here we present the case of a 65-year-old female with recurrent EHE of the left calcaneum. The patient had developed soft-tissue swelling over the lateral aspect of the left hindfoot three years ago, which was previously managed by excisional biopsy as per medical records and the histopathological examination (HPE) had revealed an EHE. A year later, she again developed a painful swelling with superficial ulceration over the same region and presented to us. A plain radiograph of the foot showed a soft-tissue swelling with cortical breach over the lateral aspect of calcaneum. MRI revealed a mass encasing peroneus tendons, with extension into the lateral surface of calcaneum. CT angiography revealed a mass eroding the lateral cortex of calcaneum and receiving blood supply from calcaneal branches of peroneal artery. PET-CT scan did not reveal any other primary or metastatic site. Core needle biopsy of calcaneum was suggestive of EHE. Limb salvage was difficult as the tumor was recurrent and involved the skin and the weight-bearing part of the calcaneum. The patient was managed with trans-tibial amputation. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of the excised tissue was positive for CD34, Vimentin, SMA, and Fli-1. The margins were negative for any tumor cells and she did not require any adjuvant therapy. At two years follow-up, she was free of any further recurrence or metastasis. Recurrent tumors of this variety are fast-growing with metastatic potential and may cause mortality. Hence, they need to be managed aggressively.

Angiosarcomas: histology, immunohistochemistry and molecular insights with implications for differential diagnosis

Angiosarcomas (AS) represent a heterogenous group of tumors with variable clinical presentation. AS share an important morphologic and immunohistochemical overlap with other sarcomas, hence the differential diagnosis is challenging, especially in poorly-differentiated tumors. Although molecular studies provide significant clues, especially in the differential diagnosis with other vascular neoplasms, a thorough hematoxylin and eosin analysis remains an essential tool in AS diagnosis. In this review, we discuss pathological and molecular insights with emphasis on implications for differential diagnosis in cutaneous, breast, soft tissue and visceral AS.

Primary Vascular Tumors of Bone: A Monoinstitutional Morphologic and Molecular Analysis of 427 Cases With Emphasis on Epithelioid Variants

Recent molecular discoveries have refined vascular bone tumor classification. To investigate the clinical relevance of these refinements, we reviewed all cases of primary vascular bone tumors treated at our Institute. On the basis of morphology, cases were assessed immunohistochemically and molecularly. A total of 427 cases of primary vascular tumor of bone with available follow-up and histologic material were retrieved and reclassified according to the most recent diagnostic criteria as follows: 289 hemangiomas, 38 epithelioid hemangiomas, 21 epithelioid hemangioendotheliomas, 2 retiform hemangioendotheliomas, 1 intraosseous papillary intralymphatic angioendothelioma, 24 pseudomyogenic hemangioendotheliomas, and 52 angiosarcomas (of these, 45 were epithelioid angiosarcomas and 7 spindle cell secondary angiosarcoma). Both epithelioid and classic hemangiomas behave as benign tumors with excellent prognosis. The distinction between cellular and conventional type of epithelioid hemangioma was not associated with a different clinical course. Conversely, epithelioid hemangioendothelioma exhibited a more aggressive clinical behavior than hemangioma, with higher rates of multifocality and distant spread. Immunohistochemical positivity for CAMTA1 or TFE3 did not have a prognostic implication. In epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, the presence of morphologic malignant features was associated with reduced disease-free (P=0.064) and overall survival (P=0.055). Pseudomyogenic hemangioendothelioma featured local aggressiveness in 5/24 patients exhibiting a clinical behavior closer to epithelioid hemangioma than epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. Last, 32/45 patients with epithelioid angiosarcoma died of disease with a median survival time of 10 months from diagnosis. In conclusion, the integration of morphologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular features allows a better stratification of primary vascular tumors of bone with significant prognostic and therapeutic implications.

Prognostic Determinants Analysis and Nomogram for Bone Malignant Vascular Tumors: A Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Analysis

Background

The aim and objective of our investigations were to explore the prognostic value of various clinical and pathological factors of bone malignant vascular tumors and establish a nomogram for their outcome predictions.

Material/Methods

All data of primary bone malignant vascular tumors (MVTs) patients were randomly selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. However, selected patients were clinically diagnosed with various cancers during 1988–2015. The potential prognostic factors were analyzed using SPSS (Windows, version 22.0). All prognostic factors were combined to formulate a nomogram to predict the overall survival (OS).

Results

A total of 266 selected patients were included in our study. In the univariate model, age (P<0.001), sex (p=0.0255), primary site (P<0.001), surgery (P<0.001), histologic type (P<0.001), metastasis (p=0.000), and pathological grade (P<0.001) were statistically significant for patient survival. The results of Cox analysis revealed that age (≥64) HR: 3.636, 95% CI [1.955–6.762], p=0.000, the primary site in skull HR: 2.6, 95% CI [1.584–4.268], p<0.001], without surgery HR: 1.473 95% CI [1.239–1.751], p<0.001, metastasis HR: 3.076 95% CI [1.983–4.771] p=0.000, man HR 1.802, 95% CI [1.032–3.004], p=0.045, and high malignant grade HR: 3.029, 95% CI [2.101–4.366], p=0.003 were independent unfavorable prognostic factors. Angiosarcoma had highest mortality rate among all vascular malignancies. The nomogram predicting overall survival achieved a C-index of 0.694 (95% CI 0.631, 0.745) in the SEER cohort.

Conclusions

Surgery can significantly increase OS survival time for bone MVTs, and low-grade malignancy is a significant factor for OS. However, advanced age, tumor metastasis, primary site in skull, AS, and male sex are predictors of poor prognosis.

Utility of FOS as diagnostic marker for osteoid osteoma and osteoblastoma

Osteoid osteoma and osteoblastoma are bone-forming tumors shown to harbor FOS (87%) and FOSB (3%) rearrangements. The aim was to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of FOS and FOSB in these tumors in comparison to other bone tumors, to evaluate the influence of decalcification, and to correlate immunohistochemical findings with the underlying genetic alteration using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Immunohistochemistry using whole sections was performed on osteoid osteoma (n=23), osteoblastoma (n=22), osteoblastoma-like osteosarcoma (n=3), reactive (n=3), and proliferative (n=11) bone lesions. Immunoreactivity in giant cell tumor of bone (n=74), aneurysmal bone cyst (n=6), chondromyxoid fibroma (n=20), osteosarcoma (n=85), chondroblastoma (n=17), and clear cell chondrosarcoma (n=20) was assessed using tissue micro arrays. Strong nuclear expression of FOS in > 50% of the tumor cells was observed in all osteoid osteomas (22/22), in 57% of osteoblastomas (12/21) and in 3/197 control cases. FOS immunoreactivity disappeared after > 3 days decalcification. FOS rearrangements were present in 94% of osteoid osteomas and osteoblastomas, with a concordance of 86% between FISH and immunohistochemistry. Two osteoblastomas (5%) were positive for FOSB, as opposed to 8/177 control cases. Additional FISH revealed no FOSB rearrangements in these cases. To conclude, in short decalcified biopsies, FOS immunohistochemistry can be used to diagnose osteoid osteoma and osteoblastoma, as overexpression is seen in the majority, being rare in their mimics. FOS immunohistochemistry should not be used after long decalcification. Moreover, low level of focal expression found in other lesions and tissues might cause diagnostic problems, in which case FISH could be employed.

Pseudomyogenic hemangioendothelioma-A case report and review of the literature

Pseudomyogenic hemangioendothelioma (PMH) of bone is a very rare tumor and frequently presents at multiple locations. PMH is difficult to diagnose by imaging and histopathologic features. Various and partially discordant imaging findings have been reported in case reports and small case series. We report a case of a 63-year-old man with PMH isolated to the sacrum, presenting with chronic intermittent buttock pain that was incidentally identified on imaging for acute pancreatitis. We believe that learning about PMH of bone will help to include this disease in the differential diagnosis of lytic lesions of the sacrum. Becoming aware of the various and sometimes discordant imaging findings of this rare entity is important and helpful for radiologists, pathologists, and orthopedic surgeons.

Angiosarcoma-related cerebral metastases: a systematic review of the literature

Angiosarcoma-related cerebral metastases have only been recorded in a few case reports and case series and have not been systematically reviewed to date. Our objective was therefore to perform a systematic literature review on cases of angiosarcomas metastasizing to the brain to inform current practice. All three major libraries-PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane-were systematically searched, until January 2019. Articles in English reporting angiosarcoma-related cerebral metastases via hematogenous route were included. Our search yielded 45 articles (38 case reports, 5 retrospective studies, 1 case series and 1 letter to the editor), totaling 48 patients (mean age 47.9 years). The main primary site was the heart. The mean time of diagnosis of cerebral metastases following primary tumor identification was 4.9 months. In 15 cases, the brain was the only metastatic site. In cases of multiple extracerebral metastases, the most common sites were the lung and bone. Acute intracerebral supratentorial hemorrhage was the most common presenting radiological feature. Treatment strategies were almost equally divided between the surgical (with or without adjuvant treatment) and the medical arm. Mean overall survival was 7.2 months while progression-free survival was 1.5 months. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic literature review on angiosarcoma-related cerebral metastases. This pathology proves to be an extremely rare clinical entity and carries a poor prognosis, and no consensus has been reached regarding treatment.

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the bone: A case report with findings of bone scintigraphy

INTRODUCTION

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) of the bone is a very rare malignant vascular neoplasm, with biologic behavior between that of locally aggressive epithelioid hemangioma and malignant epithelioid angiosarcoma. We report a case of a patient with EHE who underwent bone scintigraphy, try to identify the characteristics of it, to highlight the clinical importance of whole-body bone scintigraphy and single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/ CT) in the diagnosis and treatment of EHE.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 67-year-old man with no history of trauma who reported pain in both lower limbs for 6 months, which had been worsening over the last 20 days. Anteroposterior and lateral radiographs of both lower limbs revealed numerous osteolytic lesions in the tibia and fibula bilaterally. Tc-methylene diphosphonate (MDP) bone scintigraphy demonstrated increased tracer uptake in the pelvic and bilateral lower limb bones. SPECT/CT bone imaging showed numerous osteolytic lesions cluster in the same anatomic region, with high tracer uptake in lesion margins.

DIAGNOSIS

EHE of the bone.

INTERVENTIONS

Two months after the diagnosis was confirmed, the patient was rehospitalized. Nonopioid analgesic use had not provided pain relief. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of both thighs showed the bone cortex was destroyed with numerous irregular lesions, and soft-tissue was involved. A second bone scintigraphy did not show any new lesions. He was administrated with recombination human endostatin injection 15 mg ivgtt qd for 14 days, combined with apatinib mesylate tablets 500 mg po qd for 18 days.

OUTCOMES

He was discharged voluntarily and died 2 months later.

CONCLUSION

EHE of the bone is a very rare malignant vascular neoplasm with no specific radiographic imaging features. Whole-body bone scintigraphy, especially SPECT/CT bone imaging, significantly reduces ambiguous diagnoses and is recommended before treatment.

Telatinib Is an Effective Targeted Therapy for Pseudomyogenic Hemangioendothelioma

Purpose: Pseudomyogenic hemangioendothelioma (PHE) is an extremely rare locally aggressive neoplasm with endothelial differentiation, which often presents with multiple lesions. These tumors have characteristic SERPINE1-FOSB fusions. We report a 17 years old patient with advanced unresectable PHE with a durable complete remission to the multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor telatinib. The aim of this study was to generate an in vitro model for PHE, to study the functional consequences of SERPINE1-FOSB in endothelial cells, and its interaction with telatinib, to biologically substantiate the complete response to telatinib.Experimental Design: As the fusion results in overexpression of a truncated form of FOSB, we overexpressed truncated FOSB in normal endothelial cells.Results: Truncated FOSB significantly affected tumor growth in three-dimensional (3D) on matrigel with increased and sustained sprouting. Moreover, truncated FOSB acted as an active transcription factor capable to regulate its own transcription, as well as to upregulate PDGFRA and FLT1 expression (four-fold). Telatinib decreased proliferation and tumor growth in 3D and induced apoptosis. As expected, telatinib blocked VEGF signaling as phosphorylation of ERK was abolished. Interestingly, in FOSB overexpressing cells, telatinib specifically affected PDGFRA, FLT1, and FLT4 signaling and downregulated SERPINE1, thereby affecting the self-regulation of the fusion gene.Conclusions: We provide a biological substantiation of a complete clinical remission that was seen in a patient with PHE, showing that telatinib indirectly interferes with the self-regulated expression of the fusion product. Thus, telatinib or any other currently available VEGFR1-4/PDGFRA inhibitor could be a highly specific treatment option for patients with multifocal unresectable PHE. Clin Cancer Res; 24(11); 2678-87. ©2018 AACR.