[Osteosarcoma and chondrosarcoma--radiographic differentiation with computerized tomography]

A High-Grade Chondrosarcoma of Calcaneum Mimicking as a Benign Pathology: Delayed Diagnosis and Management

This case is presented to highlight a rare case of chondrosarcoma of calcaneum in a young adult mimicking as a benign pathology and to highlight the diagnosis and early management of such cases to prevent complications and even death. Chondrosarcoma constitutes less than 10% of all primary malignancies of bone and occurs mostly in proximal locations such as pelvis, proximal femur, and proximal humerus. We present a case of high-grade chondrosarcoma at a very rare site, calcaneum of a 40-year-old male that was mimicking as a benign pathology. This case report highlights the importance of proper clinical examination, evaluation, and suspicion for benign occurring lesions to prevent complications related to a delay in diagnosis.

LEVELS OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic, Level IV: Case study.

Calcaneal chondrosarcoma: a case report

The objective was to report on a rare case of chondrosarcoma of the bones of the foot, and specifically the calcaneus. The patient was a 30-year-old woman with a complaint of painless nodulation on the lateral face of the calcaneus, which she had had for around eight years, which then started to present significant pain. Radiography showed a tumor with imprecise limits, compromising the calcaneus, talus and lateral malleolus. The lesion had a destructive, aggressive and osteolytic appearance, with invasion of the surrounding soft tissues and the presence of points of calcification. Amputation was performed in the middle third of the right lower leg, with a histological diagnosis of chondrosarcoma. The case evolved with local recurrence of the tumor formation and subsequent amputation in the middle third of the right thigh. One year after the second amputation, the patient evolved with metastasis from the chondrosarcoma in soft tissues throughout the body and in the lungs, and she died one year and ten months after the diagnosis was made. Chondrosarcomas that involve the calcaneus are rare in young adults, with few reports in the literature. For this reason, the present report becomes important in that it shows that even though this is a rare condition, it is present in our environment. Early investigation is essential, especially by means of imaging examinations, with the aim of diminishing the chances of malignant transformation and consequent complications, so as to avoid death.

Chondroblastic osteosarcoma

The purpose of this paper is to report a case of chondroblastic osteosarcoma in the region of the maxilla, with 5 months of evolution. The term osteosarcoma refers to a heterogeneous group of malignancies with bone formation or mesenchymal tissue with histopathological evidence of osteogenic differentiation. The pattern of chondroblastic osteosarcoma represents 25% of all reported cases of this neoplasm. Its histopathological diagnosis is based on the predominance of a chondroid matrix formed in the midst of neoplastic cells. A woman patient, 27-year old, melanoderm, presented on extraoral exam with facial asymmetry caused by the a swelling in the premaxillary region with upper lip protrusion. Intraoral exam showed a maxillary tumefaction with involvement of the vestibular and palatine regions. The computerized tomography (CT) analysis exhibited a radiolucent mass with dispersed areas of radiopacity, with poorly defined and indistinct peripheral edges. The patient was subjected to incisional biopsy and histopathological examination showed the presence of a malignant neoplasm of mesenchymal origin characterized by the presence of irregular bone trabeculae dispersed among mildly atypical chondroblastic cells. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes several variants that differ in location, clinical behavior and degree of cellular atypia. The conventional or classical osteosarcoma is the most frequent variant, which develops within the medullary bone. This report illustrates the rapid evolution of one of the histological variants of osteosarcoma.

Maxillary osteosarcoma in a young patient undergoing postorthodontic treatment follow-up: the importance of ongoing oral examinations

Osteosarcoma is a common primary malignant tumor in long bones; it generally occurs in young adults. It is considered infrequent in the head and neck regions, where it is usually associated with poor outcomes and rates of survival. From a histopathologic point of view, osteosarcomas are commonly classified as osteoblastic, chondroblastic, or fibroblastic, although several unusual microscopic subtypes have also been reported. The purpose of this article was to present a case report of a maxillary chondroblastic osteosarcoma involving the maxillary sinus and the maxilla of a young woman who was diagnosed during early postorthodontic treatment follow-up. Treatment, prosthetic rehabilitation, and follow-up details are provided. Most importantly, this patient shows the importance of complete and systematic oral examinations during any routine dental treatment.