Office-based core needle biopsy of bone and soft tissue malignancies: an accurate alternative to open biopsy with infrequent complications.

BACKGROUND: Biopsy is a critical step in the diagnosis of musculoskeletal malignancy. As an alternative to open biopsy, percutaneous core needle biopsy techniques have been developed. As many studies combine office-based, image-guided, and operative biopsies, the accuracy of office-based core needle biopsy is not well documented. QUESTION/PURPOSES: We asked whether (1) office-based core needle biopsy for the diagnosis of malignant musculoskeletal neoplasms would have few complications and diagnostic and accuracy rates comparable to those cited in the literature for core needle biopsy, (2) diagnostic errors related to office-based core needle biopsy would result in surgical treatment errors, and (3) tissue core quantity and tumor type would affect accuracy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 234 patients with 252 core needle biopsies of malignant bone and soft tissue neoplasms at one institution between 1999 and 2007. Biopsy accuracy and errors were determined on the basis of histologic evaluation of prior or subsequent biopsies and/or resected specimens, when available. We eliminated 19 patients who had needle biopsies: three had the core needle biopsy completed in the operating room and 16 had insufficient documentation or followup, leaving 233 for study. RESULTS: Of the 233 core needle biopsies, 212 (91%) were diagnostic and accurate for malignancy. Fourteen (6%) biopsies were nondiagnostic. Major errors, defined as a benign diagnosis in a malignant tumor, occurred in seven cases (3%). Minor errors, defined as errors in histopathologic diagnosis or grade, occurred in 24 biopsies (10%). All nondiagnostic and major core needle biopsy errors were identified and addressed with either a diagnostic open biopsy or definitive wide local excision, resulting in no surgical treatment errors. Accuracy was not influenced by core number; however, myxoid lesions showed a correlation with biopsy error. There were no biopsy-related complications. CONCLUSIONS: Office-based core needle biopsy for diagnosis of malignant musculoskeletal neoplasms has high diagnostic and accuracy rates without associated complications. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, diagnostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of the level of evidence.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the foot.

BACKGROUND: Squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the foot are relatively common, but have been infrequently reported in the orthopaedic literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve patients with SCC of the foot treated at a single institution from 1998 to 2005 were studied retrospectively with regard to risk factors for the disease, treatment, and functional and oncologic outcomes. The mean duration of postoperative followup was 43 (range, 24 to 105) months. RESULTS: Eight of the 12 patients had identifiable risk factors for SCC. Inadequate or inappropriate procedures had been previously performed in eight of the 12 cases, requiring more aggressive definitive treatment in at least four cases. Definitive operative treatment consisted of wide excision (4 patients), partial or complete toe amputation (4), partial foot amputation (3), and transtibial amputation (1). Two patients developed local recurrence of disease, and both ultimately required Syme amputations for local control. One patient with local recurrence died of metastatic disease and the other 11 patients are alive without evident disease. Musculoskeletal Tumor Society functional scores averaged 90 and were good or excellent in nine of the 11 surviving patients. CONCLUSION: Squamous cell carcinomas of the foot are likely underreported and frequently subject to inappropriate initial treatment. Most patients have identifiable risk factors for SCC that can aid in formulating an appropriate differential diagnosis. Despite frequent suboptimal initial treatment, most patients are candidates for complete or partial limb salvage, with generally good oncologic and functional outcomes expected.

Fungating soft-tissue sarcomas. Treatment implications and prognostic importance of malignant ulceration.

BACKGROUND: Several variables have been reported as being prognostic with regard to the outcomes of soft-tissue sarcomas. Although the tumors are subjectively ominous, no prior study has been performed to evaluate the treatment or prognosis of fungating soft-tissue sarcomas. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of all soft-tissue sarcomas treated at our institution between 1989 and 2004 that had been followed for a minimum of two years or until the death of the patient. Our study group consisted of twenty-four patients with a primary high-grade fungating tumor, and our control group consisted of 146 consecutive patients with a primary high-grade non-fungating tumor. The study cohorts were compared with regard to disease presentation, treatment, and oncologic outcomes. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in tumor size, tumor depth, or histopathologic diagnoses between the cohorts, although the patients with a fungating tumor tended to be older (mean, sixty-five years compared with fifty-five years in the control group; p = 0.004) and have shorter postoperative follow-up (mean, thirty-eight months compared with sixty-five months in the control group; p = 0.03). The proportion of patients presenting with metastases was significantly greater in the group with a fungating tumor (33% compared with 9% in the control group; p = 0.003). Significantly more patients with a fungating tumor underwent amputation (35% compared with 12% in the control group; p = 0.01), while a greater proportion of control patients received radiation therapy (68% compared with 39% in the group with a fungating tumor; p = 0.02). There was no difference in the proportions of patients receiving chemotherapy or in the local recurrence rates between the two cohorts. The Kaplan-Meier five-year overall survival estimates were 20% in the group with a fungating tumor compared with 63% (p < 0.0001) in the control group. The Kaplan-Meier five-year disease-specific survival estimates for patients presenting with localized disease was 58% in the group with a fungating tumor and 74% in the control group (p = 0.05). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that disease stage, fungation, and a tumor size of > or = 10 cm were significant independent negative prognostic factors for disease-specific survival. CONCLUSIONS: Malignant tumor ulceration is an independent predictor of a poor prognosis for patients with a high-grade soft-tissue sarcoma. Despite the discouraging overall prognosis, aggressive multidisciplinary treatment can lead to long-term survival in an important subgroup of patients with fungating lesions.

Extended intralesional treatment versus resection of low-grade chondrosarcomas.

UNLABELLED: The need for segmental resection versus intralesional treatment of low-grade chondrosarcomas of the appendicular skeleton remains controversial. We hypothesized extended intralesional treatment would equally control malignant disease but with improved functional outcomes and decreased postoperative complications. We retrospectively reviewed 31 patients with 32 Grade I intracompartmental chondrosarcomas of the long bones of the appendicular skeleton treated with either resection (15 lesions) or extended intralesional curetting (17) at a minimum followup of 2 years (median, 55 months; range, 24-203 months). Lesions were larger and median followup was longer in the resection cohort. One local recurrence developed in each treatment cohort and neither transitioned to a higher grade of tumor. No patient had metastases develop or died of disease. The mean final Musculoskeletal Tumor Society functional scores were greater after extended intralesional versus resection treatment (29.5 versus 25.1). Complications were observed more frequently after resection and reconstruction (seven of 15) as compared with extended intralesional treatment (one of 17). Extended intralesional treatment of Grade I intracompartmental chondrosarcomas of the long bones of the appendicular skeleton therefore appears safe with improved functional scores and decreased complications versus segmental resection and reconstruction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, therapeutic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Proximal humerus reconstructions for tumors.

UNLABELLED: The optimal method for reconstructing the proximal humerus in patients with tumors is controversial. To determine functional outcomes and complication rates after different types of reconstructions, we reviewed a consecutive series of 49 patients who underwent proximal humerus resection and osteoarticular allograft (17 patients), allograft-prosthetic composite (16), or endoprosthetic (16) reconstruction. Operative indications included primary malignancies (24 patients), metastatic disease (19), and benign aggressive disease (six). Implant revision was more common after osteoarticular reconstruction (five of 17) than after allograft-prosthetic composite (one of 16) or endoprosthetic (zero of 16) reconstructions. At a minimum followup of 24 months (median, 98 months; range, 24-214 months) in surviving patients, Musculoskeletal Tumor Society functional scores averaged 79% for the allograft-prosthetic composite, 71% for the osteoarticular allograft, and 69% for the endoprosthetic reconstruction cohorts. Shoulder instability was associated with abductor mechanism compromise and was more common after endoprosthetic reconstruction. Allograft fractures occurred in 53% of patients receiving osteoarticular allografts. We recommend allograft-prosthetic composite reconstruction for younger patients with primary tumors of bone and endoprosthetic reconstruction for older patients with metastatic disease. Because of the unacceptable complication rate, we do not recommend osteoarticular allograft reconstruction for routine use in the proximal humerus. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, therapeutic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Endoprosthetic proximal femur replacement: metastatic versus primary tumors.

Few studies have examined the impact of underlying diagnosis on the functional and oncologic outcomes following endoprosthetic proximal femur replacement (PFR). We performed a retrospective review of 61 consecutive cemented bipolar PFR in 59 patients for treatment neoplastic lesions with a minimum follow-up of 24 months. Twenty-two patients had primary bone tumors and 39 had metastatic disease. Average follow-up for the 30 surviving patients was 55.4 months and the mean postoperative survival for the 29 patients who died was 12.2 months. Patients with primary tumors demonstrated significantly better functional outcomes than those with metastatic disease, with mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society functional scores of 80.2 and 66.8%, respectively (p=0.0002). Age correlated inversely with functional scores (r=-0.48; p=0.0002), while femoral resection length did not. Preoperative pathologic fracture did not appear to adversely impact final functional outcomes. The Kaplan-Meier 5-year implant survival estimate was 92.5%, with aseptic loosening as the endpoint. Both functional results and survival are increased for primary tumors versus metastatic disease following PFR. However, PFR results in excellent local disease control, reliable pain relief and good functional results in both groups, with prosthesis survival exceeding that of the patient in many cases.

Local recurrence of disease after unplanned excisions of high-grade soft tissue sarcomas.

UNLABELLED: Unplanned excisions of soft tissue sarcomas occur with alarming frequency and result in high rates of residual disease, potentially affecting patient prognosis. To determine if unplanned excisions and residual disease status at tumor bed excision increased local recurrence rates and predicted disease-specific patient survival, we retrospectively reviewed 203 consecutive patients with high-grade soft tissue sarcomas treated operatively and followed for at least 2 years (mean, 4.8 years) or until patient death. Among the 64 patients (32%) who had undergone previous unplanned excisions, six had gross residual disease and 40 of the remaining 58 (69%) had microscopic residual disease in the tumor bed. We observed subsequent local recurrence in nine of the 139 patients (6%) after planned excision compared with 22 patients (34%) after unplanned excision. More patients with unplanned excisions who underwent limb salvage procedures required flap coverage and/or skin grafting with their definitive resection (30% versus 5%). In the unplanned excision cohort, residual disease status at tumor bed excision predicted increased rates of local recurrence and decreased disease-specific survival. Unplanned excisions of high-grade soft tissue sarcomas resulted in increased rates of local recurrence but not disease-specific survival. Residual disease at reexcision predicted the likelihood of local recurrence. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, prognostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.