Osteosarcoma of mandible

Fibroblastic osteosarcoma: A perplexing entity

Osteosarcoma (OS), also referred to as osteogenic sarcoma, is the most common primary malignant tumour affecting long bones, characterised by the proliferation of osteoblastic precursor cells and the production of osteoid or immature bone. OSs of the head and neck region have unique biology, exhibiting a clinical behaviour and a natural history that are distinct from OSs of the trunk and extremities. Similarly, their radiological appearance and histological growth pattern can be quite diverse proving to be a challenge to histopathologists to arrive at a diagnosis. Hence, OSs of the jaw remain enigmatic, and a number of difficulties related to their diagnosis and treatment are yet to be resolved. This article reports on a case of advanced OS of the mandible in a 45-year-old woman who came for the evaluation of swelling. This case illustrates the various modalities of diagnosis, such as radiology, histopathology and immunohistochemistry for the confirmation of the variants of OS, leading to an enormously improved quality of life by offering an improved opportunity for cure and treatment.

Differentiation of osteosarcoma from osteomyelitis using microarchitectural analysis on panoramic radiographs

Diagnosing osteosarcoma (OS) is very challenging and OS is often misdiagnosed as osteomyelitis (OM) due to the nonspecificity of its symptoms upon initial presentation. This study investigated the possibility of detecting OS-induced trabecular bone changes on panoramic radiographs and differentiating OS from OM by analyzing fractal dimensions (FDs) and degrees of anisotropy (DAs). Panoramic radiographs of patients with histopathologically proven OS and OM of the jaw were obtained. A total of 23 patients with OS and 40 patients with OM were enrolled. To investigate whether there was a microarchitectural difference between OS lesions and normal trabecular areas in each patient, two regions of interest (ROIs) were located on the CT images. Three microarchitectural parameters (box-counting FD, fast Fourier transform-based FD, and DA) were calculated. For both OS and OM, significant differences were found for all three microarchitectural parameters. Compared to normal trabecular bone, trabecular bone affected by OS and OM became isotropic and more complex. When comparing OS and OM, a statistically significant difference was found only in DA. Trabecular bones affected by OS became more isotropic than those affected by OM. Microarchitectural analysis, especially DA, could be useful for detecting OS-induced trabecular alterations and differentiating OS from OM.

Osteosarcoma: A case report and evaluation

Osteosarcoma (OS) comprises 2.1% of all malignant oral and maxillofacial tumors. OS arising from the jaw OS differs from OS of the long bones in its biological behavior, presenting a lower incidence of metastasis and a better prognosis. The morphologic and behavioral heterogeneity observed in OS and the perplexity of the varied histological features mimicking other primary and metastatic bone tumors has emphasized the need of advanced molecular techniques in its diagnosis. Hereby, we present a case of OS which was diagnosed by immunohistochemical analysis, aiding in establishing its histogenetic origin.

Radiographic manifestations of fibroblastic osteosarcoma: A diagnostic challenge

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone tumor after plasma cell neoplasms. Osteosarcoma has diverse histological features and is characterized by the presence of malignant spindle cells and pluripotent neoplastic mesenchymal cells that produce immature bone, cartilage, and fibrous tissue. Osteosarcoma most frequently develops in the extremities of long bones, but can occur in the jaw in rare cases. The clinical and biological behavior of osteosarcoma of the jaw slightly differs from that of long-bone osteosarcoma. The incidence of jaw osteosarcoma is greater in the third to fourth decades of life, whereas long-bone osteosarcoma mostly occurs in the second decade of life. Osteosarcoma of the jaw has a lower tendency to metastasize and a better prognosis than long-bone osteosarcoma. Radiographically, osteosarcoma can present as a poorly-defined lytic, sclerotic, or mixed-density lesion with periosteal bone reaction response. Multi-detector computed tomography is useful for identifying the extent of bone destruction, as well as soft tissue involvement of the lesion. The current case report presents a fibroblastic osteosarcoma involving the left hemimandible with very unusual radiographic features.

Osteosarcoma of Jaw with Varying Histomorphologic Patterns: Case Report

Introduction:

Osteosarcoma is a malignant mesenchymal tumor whose cancerous cells produce osteoid matrix. It is a common primary malignant bone tumor, representing 23% of total head and neck malignancies. Osteosarcomas of the jaws are rare lesions, representing only 4-7% of all osteosarcomas. This presentation discusses the clinical, radiographical, and histopathological features of a case of osteosarcoma of the mandible with unusual histopathological appearance.

Case Report:

A 21-year-old male patient reported with a diffuse swelling of the right side of mandible with dull ache and increasing difficulties with eating and speech. Incisional biopsy done showed a histopathological picture of osteosarcoma and osteoblastoma. Hemimandibulectomy was done and the histopathology showed varying patterns of the lesion-like osteoblastoma-like osteosarcoma and osteoblastic variant of osteosarcoma. Focal areas in the lesion also showed fibrohistiocytic differentiation which may be mistaken for malignant fibrous histiocytoma. Hemangiopericytomatous appearance was also seen. Hence, it was necessary to differentiate between all the lesions as the treatment plan for all these lesions is different. Rarely, tumor may show a spectrum of histopathology as seen here in a case of osteosarcoma of the mandible.

Conclusion:

The treatment plan and prognosis for each type of these lesions are different. Thus, thorough histopathological evaluation will help in accurate diagnosis, proper treatment planning, and prognosis of these lesions.