Multicentric osteosarcoma: clinicopathologic and radiographic study of 56 cases

Am J Clin Pathol. 2011 Nov;136(5):799-807. doi: 10.1309/AJCP0V0OATKCNAZP.

Abstract

Multicentric osteosarcoma (M-OGS) is characterized by multicentricity of osseous osteosarcomas, either synchronous or metachronous, without visceral involvement. The study's purpose was to clinicopathologically and radiographically analyze 56 cases of M-OGS (22 synchronous and 34 metachronous). The distal femur was the most common site. Histologically, all tumors were high grade. Of 22 patients with synchronous M-OGS, 16 had 3 or more simultaneous tumors; the axial skeleton was involved in 14 (64%) of 22 cases. In metachronous M-OGS, the second malignancy occurred after a median of 22 months. Treatment was surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or a combination of these. Patients with metachronous osteosarcoma had a median survival longer than did patients with synchronous tumors. Overall, 8 long-term survivors were treated by aggressive surgery with wide margins (plus chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy). M-OGS combines multiple skeletal locations of high-grade conventional osteosarcomas and has a poor prognosis. Aggressive surgery may result in improved long-term survival, particularly in patients with metachronous disease.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Bone Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Bone Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Femoral Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Femoral Neoplasms / pathology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / diagnostic imaging
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / pathology*
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary / diagnostic imaging
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary / pathology*
  • Osteosarcoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Osteosarcoma / pathology*
  • Radiography
  • Survivors