Commentary: massive osteolysis or Gorham-Stout disease

Abstract

In this issue of the Journal, three interesting case reports, one in the print version 1 Tong A.C.K. Leung T.M. Cheung P.T. Management of massive osteolysis of the mandible: a case report. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2010; 109: 239-242 Google Scholar and two online, 2 Pedroletti F. Rangarajan S. McCain J.P. Velez I. The conservative treatment of a pathologic fracture in a patient with Gorham-Stout disease. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2010; 109: e49-e52 Google Scholar , 3 Gondivkar S.M. Gadbail A. Gorham-Stout syndrome—a rare clinical entity and a review of literature. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2010; 109: e41-e48 Google Scholar discuss a rare condition characterized by a massive and progressive loss of bone. Although rare, this disease is recognized by several names, including disappearing bone disease (phantom bone), Gorham syndrome, Gorham-Stout syndrome, Idiopathic massive osteolysis, massive Gorham osteolysis, massive osteolysis, Morbus Gorham-Stout disease, progressive massive osteolysis, vanishing bone disease, and essential osteolysis. This bone resorption abnormality can affect different sites of the skeleton and in some instances the head and neck region, as described in these 3 cases. Gorham-Stout disease (GSD) is characterized by massive bone loss, which can affect different skeletal sites, and excessive intraosseous proliferation of small blood or lymphatic vessels, resulting in resorption and destruction of bone. The case reports and literature review update the reader in the various aspects that involve this rare condition, including the fact that the condition is often diagnosed by exclusion and late.