Benign Bone Tumors Research Articles

Benign bone tumors in North East Indian population – A hospital-based study

Background: Primary bone tumors are relatively uncommon and constitute only 0.2–0.5% of all tumors in all ages in most series reported worldwide. Benign bone tumors are more common than the malignant bone tumors. Not many studies on benign bone tumors in the North Eastern Indian population are published in the available literature. Aims and Objectives: The current study was done with the aim to find out the epidemiological data on benign bone tumors in patients of the North-East Indian population who were admitted to the orthopedic department of a teaching institute. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based retrospective study with prospective effect was conducted on benign bone tumors in patients admitted to the Department of Orthopedics at our teaching institute from 2016 to 2020. Patients of all ages and both sexes with suspicion of bone tumors based on history and clinical examination were subjected to roentgenographic evaluation, including computed tomography (CT) scan and/or magnetic resonance imaging. Pre-operative core needle biopsy under C-arm/CT guidance or incisional biopsy was done for histological diagnosis, followed by appropriate intervention. Soft-tissue tumors and malignant bone tumors were excluded. Patients were followed up for recurrence, complications, and functional recovery. Results: Forty patients of bone tumors were treated out of 2288 patients admitted to the department (incidence of 1.75%). 29 were benign bone tumors with an incidence of 1.27%. Of 10–20 years age group was most commonly affected. Male preponderance with M: F=6.25:1. Femur (n=16) was the most commonly affected bone. Presenting features were swelling (n=18), pain (n=11), and pathological fracture (n=5). osteochondroma (n=15) was most common followed by giant cell tumor of bone (n=6). Treatment ranged from intralesional steroid to wide marginal excision based on histopathological diagnosis, the extent of tumor, anatomical location, and presenting symptoms. All patients were rehabilitated to activities of daily living at the final follow-up. No recurrence or any long-term complications were reported. Conclusion: This study gives epidemiological data on benign bone tumors, which can be used for setting up or upgrading dedicated oncological or oncosurgery institutes. A multicentric study on a large population in the future is suggested to obtain a larger data bank.

Subungual exostosis and chronic onychocryptosis: An intricate relationship - clinical review and management

Subungual exostosis (SE) is a relatively common benign bone tumor occurring primarily in the distal phalanx of the toes, particularly the hallux. Nail deformities, such as onychocryptosis / paronychia, can present concurrently, leading to complex clinical scenarios. Although SE and onychocryptosis are separate conditions, their clinical presentations can sometimes overlap, mainly when SE occurs under the nail bed, leading to nail deformation and subsequent ingrowth. When an ingrown toenail accompanies SE, the situation can become more complex due to increased pain and risk of infection. Diagnosis in these cases requires careful clinical examination and imaging studies. Any surgical intervention for the SE should consider concurrent pathological nail growth and nail bed abnormalities. The ultimate treatment goal is restoring normal anatomy, including salvage of the nail plate.Given these conditions' potential overlap and shared symptomatology, clinical vigilance is essential for appropriate diagnosis and treatment.This paper reviews the interplay between these conditions, their combined impact on patient morbidity, and effective surgical management strategies.

Bizarre parosteal osteochondromatous proliferation in the distal ulna where the lesion is continuous with the medullary cavity: a case report

BackgroundBizarre parosteal osteochondromatous proliferation (BPOP) is a rare benign bone tumor, it is also called “Nora’s lesion”. The lesion is characterized by heterotopic ossification of the normal bone cortex or parosteal bone. The etiology of BPOP is unclear and may be related to trauma. In most BPOPs, the lesion is not connected to the medullary cavity. Here we report an atypical case, characterized by reversed features compared to the typical BPOP, which demonstrated continuity of the lesion with the cavity.Case presentationAn 11-year-old female child had a slow-growing mass on her right wrist for 8 months with forearm rotation dysfunction. Plain X-rays showed an irregular calcified mass on the right distal ulna, and computed tomography (CT) showed a pedunculated mass resembling a mushroom protruding into the soft tissue at the distal ulna. The medulla of this lesion is continuous with the medulla of the ulna. A surgical resection of the lesion, together with a portion of the ulnar bone cortex below the tumor was performed, and the final pathology confirmed BPOP. After the surgery, the child’s forearm rotation function improved significantly, and there was no sign of a recurrence at 1-year follow-up.ConclusionIt is scarce for BPOP lesions to communicate with the medullary cavity. However, under-recognition of these rare cases may result in misdiagnosis or inappropriate treatment thereby increasing the risk of recurrence. Therefore, special cases where BPOP lesions are continuous with the medulla are even more important to be studied to understand better and master these lesions. Although BPOP is a benign tumor with no evidence of malignant transformation, the recurrence rate of surgical resection is high. We considered the possibility of this particular disease prior to surgery and performed a surgical resection with adequate safety margins. Regular postoperative follow-up is of utmost importance, without a doubt.

Pain and fatigue in adult patients with multiple osteochondromas: The Netherlands.

Multiple Osteochondromas (MO) is a rare genetic disorder characterised by the presence of numerous benign bone tumours, known as osteochondromas. Within the spectrum of debilitating symptoms associated with MO, pain is recognized as a major problem. Interestingly, our clinical observations suggest that fatigue is also a significant concern but has merely been touched upon in MO literature. This study aims to (1) assess the level of pain and fatigue in adult patients with MO; (2) compare fatigue in MO to healthy subjects and patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA); (3) identify associated variables for pain and fatigue in patients with MO. In this cross-sectional study, 353 adult MO patients completed a survey with validated questionnaires on pain, fatigue and psychosocial factors. Pain and fatigue were assessed with the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and fatigue was also measured with the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS). Fatigue (CIS) was compared with reference scores of healthy subjects and patients with RA, using a one-sample t-test. Multiple linear regression models for pain and fatigue were developed using a-priori selected independent variables based on a theoretical framework (ICF-model). Pain was reported by 87.8% (NRS = 3.19±2.6) and fatigue by 90.4% (NRS = 4.1±2.6) of patients with MO. Fatigue scores for MO (CIS = 84.1±15.3) were significantly higher (p<0.001) compared to reference scores of healthy subjects and patients with RA. The multivariable analysis for pain provided a final regression model with six variables (R2 = 0.445, p<0.001) of which fear avoidance beliefs and fatigue had the strongest association. For the fatigue models NRS (R2 = 0.455, p<0.001) and CIS (R2 = 0.233, p<0.001), the strongest associations were found with anxiety and depression respectively. Pain and fatigue are highly prevalent in patients with MO. Fatigue is significantly higher compared to healthy subjects and patients with RA. Several variables associated with pain and fatigue have been identified that could help improve multidisciplinary treatment plans.

Conventional vs. endoscopic-assisted curettage of benign bone tumours. An experimental study

BackgroundThis experimental study aimed at directly comparing conventional and endoscopic-assisted curettage towards (1) amount of residual tumour tissue (RTT) and (2) differences between techniques regarding surgical time and surgeons’ experience level.MethodsThree orthopaedic surgeons (trainee, consultant, senior consultant) performed both conventional (4x each) and endoscopic-assisted curettages (4x each) on specifically prepared cortical-soft cancellous femur and tibia sawbone models. “Tumours” consisted of radio-opaque polyurethane-based foam injected into prepared holes. Pre- and postinterventional CT-scans were carried out and RTT assessed on CT-scans. For statistical analyses, percentage of RTT in relation to total lesion’s volume was used. T-tests, Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were applied to assess differences between surgeons and surgical techniques regarding RTT and timing.ResultsMedian overall RTT was 1% (IQR 1 – 4%). Endoscopic-assisted curettage was associated with lower amount of RTT (median, 1%, IQR 0 − 5%) compared to conventional curettage (median, 4%, IQR 0 − 15%, p = 0.024). Mean surgical time was prolonged with endoscopic-assisted (9.2 ± 2.9 min) versus conventional curettage (5.9 ± 2.0 min; p = 0.004). No significant difference in RTT amount (p = 0.571) or curetting time (p = 0.251) depending on surgeons’ experience level was found.ConclusionsEndoscopic-assisted curettage appears superior to conventional curettage regarding complete tissue removal, yet at expenses of prolonged curetting time. In clinical practice, this procedure may be reserved for cases at high risk of recurrence (e.g. anatomy, histology).

Epidemiología de los tumores musculoesqueléticos en una unidad de referencia

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to perform an epidemiological analysis of patients presented to the Musculoskeletal Tumors Committee of a reference hospital. Material and methodA retrospective analysis of patients with sarcomas treated in a reference Sarcoma Unit between 2009 and 2022 was carried out. ResultsA total of 1978 patients were analyzed, of which 1477 (74.67%) were diagnosed as sarcomas. They were divided into 446 (30.20%) bone tumors and 1.031 (69.80%) soft tissue tumors. The most common benign bone tumor was enchondroma (27.23%), giant cell tumor (59.21%) was the most common tumor of intermediate malignancy and the malignant one was osteosarcoma (24.78%). The most frequently observed benign soft tissue tumor was lipoma (50.74%), the atypical lipomatous tumor (53.25%) was the most frequent tumor of intermediate malignancy and the malignant one was sarcoma of uncertain differentiation (38.10%). ConclusionOur study represents the first work on the epidemiology of sarcomas and other musculoskeletal tumors in our country, being very useful to adapt the resources destined for their diagnosis and treatment.

Intra-articular Osteoid Osteomas: Imaging Manifestations and Mimics.

Osteoid osteoma (OO) is the third most prevalent benign bone neoplasm in children. Although it predominantly affects the diaphysis of long bones, OO can assume an intra-articular location in the epiphysis or the intracapsular portions of bones. The most common location of intra-articular OO is the hip joint. The presentation of intra-articular OOs often poses a diagnostic enigma, both from clinical and radiologic perspectives. Initial symptoms are often vague and nonspecific, characterized by joint pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion, which frequently contributes to a delayed diagnosis. Radiographic findings range from normal to a subtle sclerotic focus, which may or may not have a lucent nidus. In contrast to their extra-articular counterparts, intra-articular lesions have distinct features at MRI, including synovitis, joint effusion, and bone marrow edema-like signal intensity. While CT remains the standard for identifying the nidus, even CT may be inadequate in visualizing it in some cases, necessitating the use of bone scintigraphy or fluorine 18-labeled sodium fluoride PET/CT for definitive diagnosis. Radiologists frequently play a pivotal role in suggesting this diagnosis. However, familiarity with the unique imaging attributes of intra-articular OO is key to this endeavor. Awareness of these distinctive imaging findings of intra-articular OO is crucial for avoiding diagnostic delay, ensuring timely intervention, and preventing unnecessary procedures or surgeries resulting from a misdiagnosis. The authors highlight and illustrate the different manifestations of intra-articular OO as compared with the more common extra-articular lesions with respect to clinical presentation and imaging findings. ©RSNA, 2024 Supplemental material is available for this article.

Definitive Sclerosing Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy in A Child with Recurrent Aneurysmal Bone Cyst- A Clinical Case from our Practice

Aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) are rarely diagnosed aggressive benign bone tumors. They are mainly diagnosed in children and adolescents in the long bones of the limbs, but in 12 %-30% are localized in the spine. Since the value of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for ABC has not been well defined, we present our observations and treatment outcome after one year from the definitive intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) up to 30 Gy. for recurrent spine ABC in adolescent age

Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of osteoid osteoma: results from 9 years of experience in a third-level center.

Osteoid osteoma is a benign bone tumor that accounts for roughly 2-3% of primary bone tumors and up to 10-12% of benigns bone neoplasms. It is most commonly seen in young adults, and shows male predominance. Over the last years, minimally invasive thermal ablation techniques such as radiofrequency ablation have gained popularity over classical surgery. In this study we evaluate results and complications of CT guided osteoid osteoma radiofrequency ablation. In this retrospective cohort study all patients that were diagnosed with osteoid osteoma and treated using radiofrequency ablation between January 2014 and December 2022 were included. Pain was assessed using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pre and post procedure. Technical success was established as positioning of the radiofrequency electrode in the nidus. Primary clinical success was defined as absence of pain after one radiofrequency session. All patients that required a second radiofrequency ablation were included in the overall clinical success group. During the studied period, 61 osteoid osteoma radiofrequency ablations were performed. Fiftyseven of them were included in this study, 32 were men and 25 female. Pre procedure median pain was 9 according to VAS score. Only 23 patients were treated as outpatient, the rest stayed in hospital for 24 hours. Median follow up time was 21,7 months (SD 8,3). Biopsy was performed in 52 patients. Technical success was accomplished in 57 patients (100%). Primary clinical success was 80,7% (46 patients). Those who continued with pain or had recurrence after a symptoms free period (11 patients), were treated with a second radiofrequency ablation, achieving an overall success rate of 94,7%. Only one patient suffered a minor complication (1,7%). CT guided osteoid osteoma radiofrequency ablation is a safe, effective and low complication rate procedure, that can be performed on an outpatient basis. We believe it should be considered as a first line treatment option for osteoid osteoma.

Desmoplastic fibroma of the mandible. Clinical observation

Desmoplastic fibroma is a rare aggressive fibroblastic/myofiberblastic benign bone tumor. It ranks 0.1% of all primary bone tumors. Differential diagnosis of this pathology is not easy, since the tumor has a similar X-ray and histological – pathological picture with some benign and malignant neoplasms. The article presents the review of foreign literature on the topic: historical data, clinical manifestations, comparative analysis of the informative value of differential diagnosis techniques, treatment tactics used in world practice. The clinical observation of a patient with mandibular desmoplastic fibroma is presented in detail. The clinical and diagnostic picture is given also in detail. Obtained histological preparation is described. The main stages and results of the chosen surgical tactics are outlined. Given the rarity of the disease, the complexity of its diagnosis and the lack of a standard surgical treatment technique, the results of the article may have the great practical and scientific interest.

Osteochondroma at the Ventro-Medial Surface of the Scapula Causing Pseudo Winging Scapular Resection with Computer-Assisted Navigation: A Case Report and Literature Review

Purpose: Osteochondromas, the most common benign bone tumors, primarily occur in the long bones, with scapular osteochondromas constituting less than 1% of cases. A unique challenge in ventral scapular osteochondromas is limited visibility from the dorsal side. Computer-assisted surgery, which is widely employed in tumor surgery is a promising solution for minimally invasive resection with reduced muscle injury. Methods: We present the case of a thirteen-year-old female with a ventral scapular osteochondroma that cause winging and snaping of her left arm. The patient underwent computer-assisted surgery under general anesthesia in the prone position. The procedure involved a minimal incision over the crest of the scapular spine, enabling precise identification of the tumor from the dorsal side using navigation tools. Results: The tumor, identified as an osteochondroma on CT scans, was successfully resected with minimal soft tissue damage. Postoperatively, the patient's arm was immobilized for two weeks, followed by a pain-free return to normal activity. Radiographic evaluation confirmed complete tumor removal. Conclusions: Computer-assisted navigation can help locate the ventral osteochondroma of the scapula with minimal soft tissue damage and a quicker recovery time.

The Effectiveness of Radiofrequency Thermal Ablation in the Treatment of Patients with Osteoid Osteomas of the Spine

Osteoid osteoma is a rare benign osteogenic bone tumor without malignant potential causing severe night pain relieved by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Pain associated with osteoid osteoma of the spine cannot be treated conservatively and requires surgical approach. Types of surgical treatment include intralesional curettage, marginal resection, or en bloc tumor resection. However, absence of clear intraoperative visualization of the lesion often leads to excessive resection of vertebral structures requiring additional bone reconstruction and fixation with metal structures. In some cases, due to incorrect choice of resection area and segment level, repeat surgeries are performed causing secondary spinal deformations, worsening patient’s condition, and increasing economic expenditures. Currently, minimally invasive methods of transcutaneous treatment of osteoid osteomas such as interstitial laser ablation, cryotherapy, and radiofrequency thermal ablation are becoming more prominent.Aim. To evaluate the effectiveness of radiofrequency thermal ablation treatment in patients with osteoid osteoma.Materials and methods. The prospective study included 12 patients with osteoid osteoma of the spine. Their quality of life was evaluated using the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire prior to radiofrequency thermal ablation and 30, 90 and 180 days after. At the first visit and during observation, pain syndrome intensity was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and R.G. Watkins scale for objective evaluation of pain syndrome per number of analgesics administrations.Results. Follow-up duration varied between 12 and 36 months. In all clinical cases, general, physical, and psychological health improved 2–3-fold. Pain intensity at day 1 after radiofrequency thermal ablation compared to mean pain intensity during the day prior to the procedure was significantly lower (р = 0.05). At the final examination, none of the patients had pain (pain syndrome intensity 0 per VAS); all patients had subjective satisfaction level of 100 %. Analgesics (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and paracetamol) were administered on request for 8 ± 2.34 days after the procedure.Conclusion. Based on literature data and our own experience of diagnosis and surgical treatment of osteoid osteoma of the spine, we conclude that in cases of small lesions (&lt;2 cm) in hard to access locations, computed tomography-controlled radiofrequency thermal ablation allows to perform surgical intervention safely, effectively and with minimal number of complications.

Detection of GRM1 gene rearrangements in chondromyxoidfibroma: a comparison of fluorescence in-situ hybridisation,RNA sequencing and immunohistochemical analysis.

Chondromyxoid fibroma (CMF) is a rare, benign bone tumour which arises primarily in young adults and is occasionally diagnostically challenging. Glutamate metabotropic receptor 1 (GRM1) gene encodes a metabotropic glutamate receptor and was recently shown to be up-regulated in chondromyxoid fibroma through gene fusion and promoter swapping. The aim of this study was to interrogate cases of CMF for the presence of GRM1 gene rearrangements, gene fusions and GRM1 protein overexpression. Selected cases were subjected to testing by fluorescent in-situ hybridisation (FISH) with a GRM1 break-apart probe, a targeted RNA sequencing method and immunohistochemical study with an antibody to GRM1 protein. Two cases were subjected to whole transcriptomic sequencing. In 13 of 13 cases, GRM1 protein overexpression was detected by immunohistochemistry using the GRM1 antibody. Of the 12 cases successfully tested by FISH, nine of 12 showed GRM1 rearrangements by break-apart probe assay. Targeted RNA sequencing analysis did not detect gene fusions in any of the eight cases tested, but there was an increase in GRM1 mRNA expression in all eight cases. Two cases subjected to whole transcriptomic sequencing (WTS) showed elevated GRM1 expression and no gene fusions. GRM1 gene rearrangements can be detected using FISH break-apart probes in approximately 75% of cases, and immunohistochemical detection of GRM1 protein over-expression is a sensitive diagnostic method. The gene fusion was not detected by targeted RNA sequencing, due most probably to the complexity of fusion mechanism, and is not yet a reliable method for confirming a diagnosis of CMF in the clinical setting.

Chondromyxoid fibroma of the temporomandibular joint - a rare case.

Chondromyxoid fibroma (CMF) is a rare cartilaginous tumor, accounting for < 1% of benign bone tumors. We report a case of temporomandibular joint (TMJ)-CMF, involving the pterygopalatine space and skull base and discuss its epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and management. A 56-year-old woman presented with facial asymmetry and progressive mouth opening restriction due to a mass expanding upwardly to the auriculotemporal region. Using digital techniques to determine the lesion's boundary and reconstruct the normal glenoid fossa, the temporalis myofascial flap was transplanted between the titanium mesh and condyle to reconstruct the disc after tumor resection. This case highlights the importance of identifying patients with TMJ-CMF.

Preliminary exploration of amide proton transfer weighted imaging in differentiation between benign and malignant bone tumors.

To explore the value of 3D amide proton transfer weighted imaging (APTWI) in the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant bone tumors, and to compare the diagnostic performance of APTWI with traditional diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). Patients with bone tumors located in the pelvis or lower limbs confirmed by puncture or surgical pathology were collected from January 2021 to July 2023 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. All patients underwent APTWI and DWI examinations. The magnetization transfer ratio with asymmetric analysis at the frequency offset of 3.5 ppm [MTRasym(3.5 ppm)] derived by APTWI and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) derived by DWI for the tumors were measured. The Kolmogorou-Smirnou and Levene normality test was used to confirm the normal distribution of imaging parameters; and the independent sample t test was used to compare the differences in MTRasym(3.5 ppm) and ADC between benign and malignant bone tumors. In addition, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of different imaging parameters in differentiation between benign and malignant bone tumors. P<0.05 means statistically significant. Among 85 bone tumor patients, 33 were benign and 52 were malignant. The MTRasym(3.5 ppm) values of malignant bone tumors were significantly higher than those of benign tumors, while the ADC values were significantly lower in benign tumors. ROC analysis shows that MTRasym(3.5 ppm) and ADC values perform well in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant bone tumors, with the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.798 and 0.780, respectively. Combination of MTRasym(3.5 ppm) and ADC values can further improve the diagnostic performance with the AUC of 0.849 (sensitivity = 84.9% and specificity = 73.1%). MTRasym(3.5 ppm) of malignant bone tumors was significantly higher than that of benign bone tumors, reflecting the abnormal increase of protein synthesis in malignant tumors. APTWI combined with DWI can achieve a high diagnostic efficacy in differentiation between benign and malignant bone tumors.

Research

The June 2024 Research Roundup360 looks at: Do the associations of daily steps with mortality and incident cardiovascular disease differ by sedentary time levels?; Large-scale assessment of ChatGPT in benign and malignant bone tumours imaging report diagnosis and its potential for clinical applications; Long-term effects of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis on physical function: a longitudinal analysis; Effect of intramuscular fat in the thigh muscles on muscle architecture and physical performance in the middle-aged females with knee osteoarthritis; Preoperative package of care for osteoarthritis an opportunity not to be missed?; Superiority of kinematic alignment over mechanical alignment in total knee arthroplasty during medium- to long-term follow-up: a meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis.

Epidemiology of bone tumors in children and adolescents: a retrospective study of 266 patients in the south of Tunisia.

Although bone tumors (BT) are relatively uncommon among the human neoplasm, they constitute the most frequent tumors in children and adolescents (CAA). Little information is available about the epidemiologic features of BT in CAA. We aimed to present and discuss epidemiological characteristics of BT in CAA in southern Tunisia, regarding the different histological types. This is a retrospective study including cases of BT in CAA collected in the pathology department at the Habib Bourguiba university hospital over a period of 15 years (2006- 2020). A total of 266 BT was diagnosed in our institution (42,7% among all BT in Southern Tunisia) divided into 200 benign bone tumors (BBT) (75,2%) and 66 malignant bone tumors (MBT) (24,8%). The mean age for all BT was 14,2 years (3-20 years) with male predominance (sex ratio: 1,48). The most common tumor was osteochondroma (42.2%) followed by osteosarcoma (14.6%) and Ewing sarcoma (6.4%). For BBT, the most affected age group was the 16 to 20 year - old - group (50,7%) with a male predominance (59.8%) and a predilection for lower limb (66.8%) then the upper limb (16,8%). Osteochondroma was the most common histological type (56.5%) followed by aneuvrysmal cyst (8,5%) and osteoid osteoma (6,5%). For MBT, the mean age was 12,5 years (5-20 years) and the most affected age group was the 11 to 15 year -old -group (59%). Boys were more affected (60.6%), with a preference for the lower limb (57%) followed by the pelvis (15,6%). Osteosarcoma was the most common MBT (60%) followed by Ewing sarcoma (24%). Given their rarity and heterogeneity, the diagnosis of BT is particular in CAA and requires a multidisciplinary approach. The reporting of epidemiological studies remains essential in order to expand our knowledge regarding these uncommon tumors.

Management of Chondroblastoma in Pediatric Patients: 21 Years of Single-Center Experience.

Chondroblastoma (CB), a rare benign bone tumor that produces chondrocytes, often develops in the epiphysis or apophysis of children and young adults. The treatment of these rare tumors is complex. The standard treatment protocol involves curettage with local adjuvants and bone graft or cement application. The authors examined 38 CBs to determine risk factors for local recurrence, complications, and functional outcomes following epiphyseal curettage. Twenty-two girls and sixteen boys aged 10 to 17 years with histologically confirmed chondroblastoma who arrived at our hospital between January 2000 and June 2021 were reviewed retrospectively. Clinical data, radiographic images, histological results, treatment, functional outcomes, and the local recurrence rate were examined-surgical treatment involved total tumor curettage, followed by bone grafting and adjuvant techniques. Local recurrences have also been reported. The most frequently affected site was the proximal femur. Sites of involvement included the proximal femur in 10 (26.3%) cases, the proximal tibia in 8 (20.8%), the humerus in 5 cases (13.2%), the distal tibia in 4 cases (10.5%), the distal femur in 3 cases (7.9%), the supracetabular region in 3 cases (7.9%), the talus in 1 case (2.6%), the calcaneus in 1 case (2.6%), the scapula in 1 case (2.6%), the lumbar spine in 1 case (2.6%), and the iliac bone in 1 (2.6%) patient. The mean follow-up was 144.2 months (24 to 276). The local recurrence rate was 7.9%. The mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score was 28.3 points (17 to 30). The mean duration of symptoms at presentation was 5.8 (range, 1 to 28) months. Aggressive curettage and bone grafting resulted in local control and good outcomes in most pediatric patients. In a relatively small proportion of cases, long-term complications and recurrence can occur due to growth plate damage and late diagnosis. In patients admitted to the pediatric clinic with pain, which is often accompanied by localized edema and joint effusion, early detection via advanced radiological scans (X-ray, CT, or MRI) may prevent delays in diagnosis.

Intraoperative near-infrared fluorescence guided surgery using indocyanine green (ICG) may aid the surgical removal of benign bone and soft tissue tumours

BackgroundBenign bone and soft tissue tumours encompass a broad, heterogenous range of tumours with varying clinical characteristics. These are often managed surgically with either curettage or marginal excision, but unfortunately have high rates of local recurrence. Indocyanine green (ICG) is a fluorescent dye which can be used to identify solid malignancies intraoperatively but its use is not yet established in benign bone and soft tissue tumours. This study aims to assess whether these tumours fluoresce when administered with ICG pre-operatively and whether this helps surgeons to identify tumour intra-operatively. Patients and methodsPatients with locally aggressive benign bone and soft tissue tumours were administered with 25–75 mg of ICG preoperatively at the induction of anaesthesia. Fluorescence was imaged intraoperatively using the Stryker SPY-PHI camera. ResultsOf the 12 patients included, 11 tumours fluoresced. The surgeons felt the fluorescence guided the procedure in 7 out of the 11 cases which fluoresced. It was felt to be particularly useful in the curettage of bone tumours, in which curettage could be repeated until the absence of fluorescence on imaging. After 12 months, no patients had local recurrence of the tumour. There were no adverse events recorded in this study and surgeons found the technology acceptable. ConclusionsThe use of ICG for fluorescence guided surgery is a promising technology to improve outcomes of surgery for benign bone and soft tissue tumours. Further, longer term, study with a control arm is needed to identify whether it results in a reduction in the local recurrence rate.

Malignant Transformation in a Chondroblastoma-Does it Exist?

Chondroblastoma is currently described as a benign bone tumor, histopathologically characterized by its classical features including chondroblasts, pink cartilage, and a variable number of osteoclast-like giant cells with foci of dystrophic calcification. Although recurrent and metastasizing chondroblastomas are reported, a malignant chondroblastoma is exceedingly rare and somewhat a contentious entity. A 35-year-old male presented with a lump in his ankle of 15 years' duration. Imaging disclosed a lytic destructive lesion involving the lower ends of the tibia and fibula with a soft tissue component, indicative of atypical/"worrisome" features. Microscopic examination of the biopsy revealed distinct foci of chondroblastoma, transitioning to areas of high-grade sarcoma, including pleomorphic cells, increased mitoses, and prominent stromal hyalinization. Immunohistochemically, the entire tumor was positive for H3K36M, while DOG1 highlighted the areas of chondroblastoma. SATB2 highlighted the areas of high-grade sarcoma, sparing the areas of chondroblastoma. Additionally, the areas of a high-grade sarcoma showed multifocal desmin immunostaining. A diagnosis of a malignant transformation in a chondroblastoma was offered. The patient defaulted to further treatment and unfortunately died 8 months, post-diagnosis. The conceptual evolution of a malignant chondroblastoma with H3K36M immunostaining in the few reported tumors is described herewith.