n., pl., -ma·ta (-mə-tə), or -mas.
A malignant bone tumor. Also called osteogenic sarcoma.
osteosarcoma
Dictionary:
os·te·o·sar·co·ma (ŏs'tē-ō-sär-kō'mə)  |
| 5min Related Video: osteosarcoma |
| Oncology Encyclopedia: Osteosarcoma |
Key Terms: Alkaline phosphatase, Chemotherapy, Grade, Malignant, Metastasize, Monoclonal antibody, Osteogenic, Osteogenic sarcoma, Paget's disease, Retinoblastoma, Stage.
Definition
Osteosarcoma, also called osteogenic sarcoma, is a type of cancer that develops from bone. Osteosarcoma is destructive at its original area and is likely to spread to other parts of the body.
Description
Osteosarcoma is a malignant (cancerous) tumor that arises from bone itself, and is thus called a primary bone cancer. Primary bone cancers are relatively rare overall. Approximately 2,400 new cases of osteosarcoma occur in the United States every year.
Osteosarcoma occurs most frequently during childhood or adolescence. About 60% of cases of this disease develop during the second decade of life. The incidence of osteosarcoma rises again among people in their 40s and 50s.
Osteosarcoma may occur in any bone, but develops most commonly in long bones, particularly near the knee or in the upper arm. The cancer starts growing within a bone and forms an expanding, ball-like mass. The tumor eventually breaks through the surface of the bone and begins to invade adjoining structures such as muscles. If untreated, the disease usually appears elsewhere in the same limb and metastasizes to distant parts of the body, such as the lungs.
Causes and Symptoms
There are numerous theories regarding the causes of osteosarcoma. Many cases occur during a time of rapid bone growth, as in teenagers or people with Paget's disease. This suggests that the cancer may develop when the body loses its ability to control the multiplication of certain bone cells. Some cases of osteosarcoma are likely to have a genetic basis, and numerous genetic abnormalities have been found in patients with osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma is also the most common second cancer to develop in survivors of retinoblastoma, a cancer of the eye that often has a genetic cause. Other cases arise in people who have been exposed to radiation, either accidentally or as part of a medical treatment.
The most common early symptoms of osteosarcoma are often vague. There may be pain or swelling at the site of the tumor, but these symptoms initially may not seem serious in a young, active person. Thus, the patient or medical personnel may attribute the symptoms to growing pains, or an injury from sports, for example, and the diagnosis may be delayed. Eventually, it is usually possible to feel a firm lump on the bone, and this lump will be uncomfortable to the touch.
Diagnosis
The complete diagnosis of osteosarcoma is a complicated process, requiring a variety of tests and the help of several types of medical specialists. Physicians must determine the stage of the cancer (the extent to which it has spread), and the grade of the cancer (the degree of cancerous qualities shown by its cells in a biopsy specimen). A higher grade or stage indicates a more serious disease than does a lower grade or stage.
Initial diagnosis begins with x-ray images of the affected area. These pictures will show a destructive growth within the bone, which is often described as having a "moth-eaten appearance". The patient then requires further imaging tests such as computed tomography (CT, CAT) or magnetic resonance (MR, MRI) scans of the tumor, a chest x-ray series or chest CT, and a nuclear medicine scan of the entire skeleton (bone scan). Blood tests, such as measurements of alkaline phosphatase (alk phos) provide additional information. These tests all help determine the stage of the cancer.
Finally, physicians require a biopsy sample of the diseased bone, obtained with a needle or by a surgical procedure, to be sure that the disease is truly cancer and to identify its grade. There are numerous tests, mostly involving examinations under the microscope, to perform on this biopsy specimen.
Treatment and Prognosis
Before the 1980s, limb amputation was the standard treatment for osteosarcoma. Usually, however, the tumor had already spread elsewhere in the body and the patient eventually died of the disease. Overall results were dismal.
Newer medical developments make it possible to avoid amputation and yet treat many patients with osteosarcoma successfully. Patients almost always receive chemotherapy with more than one drug (multi-drug therapy) before surgery to shrink the original cancer and reduce the likelihood of spread to other areas. Techniques known as limb-sparing surgery often allow removal of the tumor while saving the rest of the extremity. Afterward, patients usually continue to receive chemotherapy, and may require bone grafts or prosthetic devices to replace parts of bones or joints that have been removed.
Future treatments under investigation include monoclonal antibodies that destroy specific cancer cells, techniques to slow cancer growth by controlling certain cellular genes, and bone-seeking substances that directly target areas of active bone growth.
Alternative and Complementary Therapies
Current treatments with chemotherapy and surgery offer a substantial improvement over past therapies. Radiation treatment has not been effective. Complementary and alternative medicine techniques may improve a patient's sense of well-being but will not cure this destructive type of cancer.
Prognosis
Prognosis for an individual patient reflects a complex balance among the extent to which the cancer has already spread at the time of diagnosis, the aggressiveness of the cells within the cancer, and the response to chemotherapy. Early detection is extremely important. The best chance of cure occurs when a tumor shows no sign of metastasis at the time of original surgery, is well-confined within a single bone and is completely removed, and responds well to chemotherapy. The five-year survival rate for osteosarcoma in a long bone of a limb is about 70%. All patients must be followed closely by a physician to watch for cancer recurrence.
Prevention
Prevention of osteosarcoma is difficult since doctors do not know the cause of most cases. Perhaps research eventually will make prevention possible. Early detection of the disease remains vital. Anyone with persistent pain in a bone or limb should report this to a physician. People with special risk factors including Paget's disease, exposure to significant amounts of radiation, or a family history of certain types of cancer must be especially vigilant.
Resources
Periodicals
Marina, Neyssa, et al. "Biology and Therapeutic Advances for Pediatric Osteosarcoma." The Oncologist 9 (2004): 422-41.
Wittig, James C., et al. "Osteosarcoma: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment." American Family Physician 65 (2002): 1123-32, 1135-6.
—Kenneth J. Berniker, M.D.; Abigail V. Berniker, B.A.
| Dental Dictionary: osteogenic sarcoma |
n
A malignant connective tissue tumor that produces bone.
| Veterinary Dictionary: osteosarcoma |
Bone-producing malignant tumor; common in dogs and cats, but rare in other species. Dogs of large breeds are more frequently affected and the most common sites are distal humerus or femur and proximal radius or tibia. Lameness, swelling and rapid metastasis to the lungs are usual features.
| Wikipedia: Osteosarcoma |
| Osteosarcoma | |
|---|---|
| Classification and external resources | |
 Micrograph of an osteosarcoma with multinucleated giant osteoclast-like cells. H&E stain. |
|
| ICD-10 | C40.-C41. |
| ICD-9 | 170 |
| ICD-O: | M9180/3 |
| OMIM | 259500 |
| DiseasesDB | 9392 |
| MedlinePlus | 001650 |
| eMedicine | ped/1684 orthoped/531 radio/504 radio/505 |
| MeSH | D012516 |
Osteosarcoma is the second most common primary malignancy of bone behind multiple myeloma. Osteosarcoma accounts for 20% of primary bone malignancies. There is a preference for the metaphyseal region of tubular long bones. 50% of cases occur around the knee. It is a malignant connective (soft) tissue tumor whose neoplastic cells present osteoblastic differentiation and form tumoral bone.
Contents |
Prevalence
Osteogenic Sarcoma is the 6th leading cancer in children under age 15. Osteogenic Sarcoma affects 400 children under age 20 and 500 adults (most between the ages of 15-30) every year in the USA. Approximately 1/3 of the 900 will die each year, or about 300 a year. A second peak in incidence occurs in the elderly, usually associated with an underlying bone pathology such as Paget's disease, medullary infarct, or prior irradiation. Although about 90% of patients are able to have limb-salvage surgery, complications, such as infection, prosthetic loosening and non-union, or local tumor recurrence may cause the need for further surgery or amputation.
Pathology
The tumor may be localized at the end of the long bones. Most often it affects the upper end of tibia or humerus, or lower end of femur. Osteosarcoma tends to affect regions around the knee in 60% of cases, 15% around the hip, 10% at the shoulder, and 8% in the jaw. The tumor is solid, hard, irregular ("fir-tree," "moth-eaten" or "sun-burst" appearance on X-ray examination) due to the tumor spicules of calcified bone radiating in right angles. These right angles form what is known as Codman's triangle. Surrounding tissues are infiltrated.
Microscopically: The characteristic feature of osteosarcoma is presence of osteoid (bone formation) within the tumour. Tumor cells are very pleomorphic (anaplastic), some are giant, numerous atypical mitoses. These cells produce osteoid describing irregular trabeculae (amorphous, eosinophilic/pink) with or without central calcification (hematoxylinophilic/blue, granular) - tumor bone. Tumor cells are included in the osteoid matrix. Depending on the features of the tumour cells present (whether they resemble bone cells, cartilage cells or fibroblast cells), the tumour can be subclassified. Osteosarcomas may exhibit multinucleated osteoclast-like giant cells.[1]
Causes
The causes of osteosarcoma are not known. Several research groups are investigating cancer stem cells and their potential to cause tumors.[2] The connection between osteosarcoma and fluoride has been investigated; there is no clear association between water fluoridation and deaths due to osteosarcoma.[3]
Symptoms
Many patients first complain of pain that may be worse at night, and may have been occurring for some time. If the tumor is large, it can appear as a swelling. The affected bone is not as strong as normal bones and may fracture with minor trauma (a pathological fracture).
Diagnosis
Family physicians and orthopedists rarely see a malignant bone tumor (most bone tumors are benign). Thus, many patients are initially misdiagnosed with cysts or muscle problems, and some are sent straight to physical therapy without an x-ray.
The route to osteosarcoma diagnosis usually begins with an x-ray, continues with a combination of scans (CT scan, PET scan, bone scan, MRI) and ends with a surgical biopsy. Films are suggestive, but bone biopsy is the only definitive method to determine whether a tumor is malignant or benign.
The biopsy of suspected osteosarcoma should be performed by a qualified orthopedic oncologist. The American Cancer Society states: "Probably in no other cancer is it as important to perform this procedure properly. An improperly performed biopsy may make it difficult to save the affected limb from amputation."
Treatment
Patients with osteosarcoma are best managed by a medical oncologist and an orthopedic oncologist experienced in managing sarcomas. Current standard treatment is to use neoadjuvant chemotherapy (chemotherapy given before surgery) followed by surgical resection. The percentage of tumor cell necrosis (cell death) seen in the tumor after surgery gives an idea of the prognosis and also lets the oncologist know if the chemotherapy regime should be altered after surgery.
Standard therapy is a combination of limb-salvage orthopedic surgery when possible (or amputation in some cases) and a combination of high dose methotrexate with leucovorin rescue, intra-arterial cisplatin, adriamycin, ifosfamide with mesna, BCD, etoposide, muramyl tri-peptite (MTP). Rotationplasty is also another surgical technique that may be used. Ifosfamide can be used as an adjuvant treatment if the necrosis rate is low.
Despite the success of chemotherapy for osteosarcoma, it has one of the lowest survival rates for pediatric cancer. The best reported 10-year survival rate is 92%; the protocol used is an aggressive intra-arterial regimen that individualizes therapy based on ateriographic response.[4] Three-year event free survival ranges from 50% to 75%, and five-year survival ranges from 60% to 85+% in some studies. Overall, 65-70% patients treated five years ago will be alive today [5]. These survival rates are overall averages and vary greatly depending on the individual necrosis rate.
Fluids are given for hydration, while drugs like Kytril and Zofran help with nausea and vomiting. Neupogen, epogen, Neulasta help with white blood cell counts and neutrophil counts. Blood transfusion helps with anemia.
Prognosis
Prognosis is separated into three groups.
- Stage I osteosarcoma is rare and includes parosteal osteosarcoma or low-grade central osteosarcoma. It has an excellent prognosis (>90%) with wide resection.
- Stage IIb prognosis depends on the site of the tumor (proximal tibia, femur, pelvis, etc.) size of the tumor mass (in cm.), and the degree of necrosis from neoadjuvant chemotherapy (chemotherapy prior to surgery). Other pathological factors such as the degree of p-glycoprotein, whether the tumor is cxcr4-positive [6], or Her2-positive are also important, as these are associated with distant metastases to the lung. The prognosis for patients with metastatic osteosarcoma improves with longer times to metastases, (more than 12 months-24 months), a smaller number of metastases (and their resectability). It is better to have fewer metastases than longer time to metastases. Those with a longer length of time(>24months) and few nodules (2 or fewer) have the best prognosis with a 2-year survival after the metastases of 50% 5-year of 40% and 10 year 20%. If metastases are both local and regional, the prognosis is worse.
- Initial Presentation of stage III osteosarcoma with lung metastates depends on the resectability of the primary tumor and lung nodules, degree of necrosis of the primary tumor, and maybe the number of metastases. Overall prognosis is about 30% [7].
Canine Osteosarcoma
Risk factors
Osteosarcoma is the most common bone tumor in dogs and typically afflicts middle-age large and giant breed dogs such as Irish Wolfhounds, Greyhounds, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers and Great Danes. It has a ten times greater incidence in dogs than humans.[8] A hereditary base has been shown in St. Bernard dogs.[9] Spayed/neutered dogs have twice the risk of intact ones to develop osteosarcoma.[10] Infestation with the parasite Spirocerca lupi can cause osteosarcoma of the esophagus.[11]
Clinical presentation
The most commonly affected bones are the proximal humerus, the distal radius, the distal femur, and the tibia,[12] following the basic premise "far from the elbow, close to the knee". Other sites include the ribs, the mandible, the spine, and the pelvis. Rarely, osteosarcoma may arise from soft-tissues (extraskeletal osteosarcoma). Metastasis of tumors involving the limb bones is very common, usually to the lungs. The tumor causes a great deal of pain, and can even lead to fracture of the affected bone. As with human osteosarcoma, bone biopsy is the definitive method to reach a final diagnosis. Osteosarcoma should be differentiated from other bone tumours and a range of other lesions, such as osteomyelitis. Differential diagnosis of the osteosarcoma of the skull in particular includes, among others, chondrosarcoma and the multilobular tumour of bone[13][14].
Treatment and prognosis
Amputation of the leg is the initial treatment, although this alone will not prevent metastasis. Chemotherapy combined with amputation improves the survival time, but most dogs still die within a year.[12] There are surgical techniques designed to save the leg (limb-sparing procedures), but they do not improve the prognosis. One key difference between osteosarcoma in dogs and humans is that the cancer is far more likely to spread to the lungs in dogs.
Some current studies indicate that osteoclast inhibitors such as alendronate and pamidronate may have beneficial effects on the quality of life by reducing osteolysis, thus reducing the degree of pain as well as the risk of pathological fractures.[15]
Experimental Laser Procedure
Autologous patient specific tumor antigen response (apSTAR Veterinary Cancer Laser System: The use of a laser combined with a polymer has been shown to enhance tumor immunity and improve the rate of primary and metastatic tumor regression in laboratory models of tumors. IMULAN BioTherapeutics, LLC has recently started examining the use of this laser device, termed apSTAR, for dogs with osteosarcoma and other tumor types [1]
Osteosarcoma in cats
Osteosarcoma is also the most common bone tumor in the cat, although not as frequently encountered, and most typically affects the rear legs. The cancer is less aggressive in cats than in dogs, and therefore amputation alone can lead to a significant survival time.[12]
References
- ^ Papalas JA, Balmer NN, Wallace C, Sangüeza OP (June 2009). "Ossifying dermatofibroma with osteoclast-like giant cells: report of a case and literature review". Am J Dermatopathol 31 (4): 379–83. doi:. PMID 19461244.
- ^ Osuna D, de Alava E (2009). "Molecular pathology of sarcomas". Rev Recent Clin Trials 4 (1): 12–26. PMID 19149759.
- ^ National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia) (2007). "A systematic review of the efficacy and safety of fluoridation" (PDF). http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/PUBLICATIONS/synopses/_files/eh41.pdf. Retrieved 2009-02-24. Summary: Yeung CA (2008). "A systematic review of the efficacy and safety of fluoridation". Evid Based Dent 9 (2): 39–43. doi:. PMID 18584000. Lay summary – NHMRC (2007).
- ^ Wilkins RM, Cullen JW, Odom L, Jamroz BA, Cullen PM, Fink K, Peck SD, Stevens SL, Kelly CM, Camozzi AB: Superior survival in treatment of primary non-metastatic pediatric osteosarcoma of the extremity. Ann Surg Oncol 10:498-507, 2003.
- ^ Buecker, PJ, Gebhardt, M and Weber, K (2005). "Osteosarcoma". ESUN. http://sarcomahelp.org/osteosarcoma.html. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
- ^ http://www.osteosarcomasupport.org/cxcr4_metastases.pdf
- ^ Koshkina, NV and Corey, S (2008). "Novel Targets to Treat Osteosarcoma Lung Metastases". ESUN. http://sarcomahelp.org/research_center/osteosarcoma_lung_metastases.html. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
- ^ Withrow, S.J. (2003). "Limb Sparing Trials and Canine Osteosarcoma". Genes, Dogs and Cancer: 3rd Annual Canine Cancer Conference, 2003. http://www.ivis.org/proceedings/Keystone/2003/withrow/chapter_frm.asp?LA=1. Retrieved 2006-06-16.
- ^ Bech-Nielsen, S., Haskins, M. E. et al. (1978). "Frequency of osteosarcoma among first-degree relatives of St. Bernard dogs". J Natl Cancer Inst 60(2):349-53.
- ^ Ru, B., Terracini, G. et al. (1998). "Host related risk factors for canine osteosarcoma". Vet J 156(1):31-9 156: 31. doi:.
- ^ Ranen E, Lavy E et al. (2004). "Spirocercosis-associated esophageal sarcomas in dogs. A retrospective study of 17 cases (1997-2003)". Vet Parasitol 119(2-3):209-21 119: 209. doi:.
- ^ a b c Morrison, Wallace B. (1998). Cancer in Dogs and Cats (1st ed.). Williams and Wilkins. ISBN 0-683-06105-4.
- ^ Loukopoulos P, Thornton JR , Robinson WF. Clinical and pathologic relevance of p53 index in canine osseous tumors. Veterinary Pathology 2003; 40:237-248
- ^ Psychas V, Loukopoulos P, Polizopoulou ZS , Sofianidis G. Multilobular tumour of the caudal cranium causing severe cerebral and cerebellar compression in a dog. Journal of Veterinary Science 2009; 10:81-83.
- ^ Tomlin, J. L., Sturgeon, C. et al. (2000). "Use of the bisphosphonate drug alendronate for palliative management of osteosarcoma in two dogs". Vet Rec 147(5):129-32.
Further reading
- James, H. (1979). Promises in the Dark. New York: Bantam Books. ISBN 0-553-13453-1. Story of a young girl's osteosarcoma fight and its effect on her relationship with her boyfriend
- Trottier, Maxine (2005). Terry Fox: A Story of Hope. Markham, Ont: Scholastic Canada. ISBN 0-439-94888-6. About Terry Fox and his quest to raise $25 million for cancer research by running across Canada on his prosthetic leg. Also The Terry Fox Story, a 1983 movie.
- Belshaw, Sheila M. (2001). Fly With a Miracle. Denor Press. ISBN 0 9526056 7 8. The story of a family's journey through teenage osteosarcoma and its aftermath.
External links
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