Informed consent and a risk-based approach to oncologic surgery in a cancer center during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Cancer patients configure a risk group for complications or death by COVID-19. For many of them, postponing or replacing their surgical treatments is not recommended. During this pandemic, surgeons must discuss the risks and benefits of treatment, and patients should sign a specific comprehensive Informed consent (IC). OBJECTIVES: To report an IC and an algorithm developed for oncologic surgery during the COVID-19 outbreak. METHODS: We developed an IC and a process flowchart containing a preoperative symptoms questionnaire and a PCR SARS-CoV-2 test and described all perioperative steps of this program. RESULTS: Patients with negative questionnaires and tests go to surgery, those with positive ones must wait 21 days and undergo a second test before surgery is scheduled. The IC focused both on risks and benefits inherent each surgery and on the risks of perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infections or related complications. Also, the IC discusses the possibility of sudden replacement of medical staff member(s) due to the pandemic; the possibility of unexpected complications demanding emergency procedures that cannot be specifically discussed in advance is addressed. CONCLUSIONS: During the pandemic, specific tools must be developed to ensure safe experiences for surgical patients and prevent them from having misunderstandings concerning their care.

CLINICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGIC EVALUATION OF DESMOID TUMORS IN A BRAZILIAN SARCOMA REFERENCE CENTER.

Introduction: Desmoid Tumors (DT) are rare neoplasms with higher incidence in younger women. Methods: Retrospective, single-center analysis of patients with DT. Variables were age, sex, biopsy, treatment and recurrence. The disease-free survival (DFS) was calculated with the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: 242 patients were evaluated, mean age was 34 years, 70.7% women, 44.4% originated in the trunk/abdomen and 54.5% had size > 5cm. Surgery was performed in 70.2%, 31% with negative margin and only 57% with previous biopsy. Recurrence rate was 38% and 1,2,5-year DFS was 75.3%, 64.2%, 57.8%, respectively. Size (p = 0.018) and tumor location in the dorsum (p = 0.001), extremities (p = 0.003) and pelvis (p = 0.003) were related to higher relapse rate. Conclusion: our data reinforces the need to gather data from real world practice and the importance of awareness of DT and medical education about DT behavior and best approach due to the high rates of surgery and elevated number of patients treated without biopsy. Level of Evidence III; Retrospective Comparative Study.

Introdução: Os tumores desmóides (TD) são neoplasias raras com maior incidência em mulheres jovens. Métodos: Trata-se de uma análise retrospectiva, em um único centro, de pacientes com TD. As variáveis foram idade, sexo, biópsia, tratamento e recorrência. A sobrevida livre de doença (SLD) foi calculada pelo método de Kaplan-Meier. Resultados: Foram avaliados 242 pacientes, com idade média de 34 anos, 70,7% mulheres, 44,4% com origem no tronco/abdômen e 54,5% com tamanho > 5 cm. A cirurgia foi realizada em 70,2%, 31% com margem negativa e apenas 57% com biópsia prévia. A taxa de recorrência foi de 38% e a SLD de 1, 2 e 5 anos foi de 75,3%, 64,2% e 57,8%, respectivamente. O tamanho (p = 0,018) e a localização do tumor no dorso (p = 0,001), nas extremidades (p = 0,003) e na pelve (p = 0,003) foram relacionados a uma maior taxa de recidiva. Conclusão: Nossos dados reforçam a necessidade de coletar dados da prática do cenário real e a importância da conscientização da TD e da educação médica sobre o comportamento da TD e a melhor abordagem, devido às altas taxas de cirurgia e ao elevado número de pacientes tratados sem biópsia. Nível de Evidência III; Estudo Comparativo Retrospectivo.

Axial Axis Metastasis.

Axial axis metastasis remains a challenge for surgical as well as other treatment modalities, like chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy. It is unequivocal that surgery provides pain improvements and preservation of neurological status, but this condition remains when associated with radiotherapy and other treatment modalities. In this review, we emphasize the current forms of surgical treatment in the different regions of the spine and pelvis. The evident possibility of percutaneous treatments is related to early or late cases, and in cases in which there are greater risks and instability to conventional surgeries associated with radiotherapy and have been shown to be the appropriate option for local control of metastatic disease.

Reconstruction with Unconventional Endoprostheses after Resection of Primary Distal Femoral Bone Tumors: Implant Survival and Functional Outcomes.

Objective To evaluate the survival time, the failure rate and its causes, and the functional results of cemented endoprostheses, with a polyethylene body, used after resection of primary bone tumors of the distal femur. Methods A retrospective study including 93 primary and 77 review procedures performed between 1987 and 2014. Survival was obtained by the Kaplan Meyer analysis, and the risk factors for implant failure were assessed through the Cox proportional risk model. The causes of endoprosthesis failure were classified according to Henderson et al. into five types: soft-tissue failure, aseptic loosening, structural fracture, infection, and tumor recurrence. The functional evaluation was performed using the functional classification system of the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) of bone sarcomas of the lower extremity, Brazilian version (MSTS-BR). Results Osteosarcoma was the most common diagnosis; 64.5% of the patients were younger than 20 years of age; the mean follow-up was of 124.3 months. The failure rate of the primary implant was of 54.8%, and the mean survival was of 123 months. The estimated survival of the primary implant was of 63.6%, 43.5%, 24.1%, and 14.5% in 5, 10, 15, and 20 years respectively. The most common cause of failure was type 2 (37.3%). Age ≤ 26 years and right side were risk factors for failure. The mean MSTS-BR score was of 20.7 (range: 14 to 27). Conclusion The results obtained for the failure rate and survival of the implant are in accordance with those of the literature, so the procedure herein studied is adequate and yields satisfactory functional results, even in the long term.

Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor: A Review of Main Molecular Abnormalities and Emerging Therapy.

Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is an extremely rare, aggressive sarcoma affecting adolescents and young adults with male predominance. Generally, it originates from the serosal surface of the abdominal cavity. The hallmark characteristic of DSRCT is the EWSR1-WT1 gene fusion. This translocation up-regulates the expression of PDGFRα, VEGF and other proteins related to tumor and vascular cell proliferation. Current management of DSRCT includes a combination of chemotherapy, radiation and aggressive cytoreductive surgery plus intra-peritoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy (HIPEC). Despite advances in multimodal therapy, outcomes remain poor since the majority of patients present disease recurrence and die within three years. The dismal survival makes DSRCT an orphan disease with an urgent need for new drugs. The treatment of advanced and recurrent disease with tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as pazopanib, sunitinib, and mTOR inhibitors was evaluated by small trials. Recent studies using comprehensive molecular profiling of DSRCT identified potential therapeutic targets. In this review, we aim to describe the current studies conducted to better understand DSRCT biology and to explore the new therapeutic strategies under investigation in preclinical models and in early phase clinical trials.

Neoadjuvant hypofractionated radiotherapy and chemotherapy for extremity soft tissue sarcomas: Safety, feasibility, and early oncologic outcomes of a phase 2 trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Optimal treatment of extremity soft tissue sarcomas (ESTS) is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate neoadjuvant chemotherapy (ChT) plus concomitant hypofractionated RT (hypo-RT) in local and distant disease relapse. Here we report safety, feasibility and early outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective, single arm study with a goal accrual of 70 patients. Between 2015 and 2018, 18 patients with histologically confirmed nonmetastatic ESTS were assigned to receive doxorubicin and ifosfamide for three neoadjuvant cycles, concomitant with hypo-RT (25 Gy in 5 fractions) followed by surgery. The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS). Secondary outcomes were pathologic response, wound complications (WC), and morbidity rates. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 29 months. At last follow-up, 13/18 patients were alive without evidence of local or systemic disease (DFS 72%), 1 had died due to metastatic disease, and 3 were alive with distant metastasis. One patient presented with local relapse within the irradiated field. Mean DFS time was 48.6 months (95% CI: 37.3-59.9). Six patients (33%) had no residual viable tumor detected in pathologic specimens (3 of these myxoid liposarcomas). There was a significant difference in WC among patients with acute RT skin toxicity. Six patients (33%) developed major WC. No grade 3 or 4 ChT adverse events were reported. CONCLUSION: Despite the limited sample size, these early outcomes demonstrate that this treatment regimen is feasible and well tolerated with high rates of limb preservation, local control, and pathologic complete response, supporting further investigation in a multi-institutional setting. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02812654; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02812654.

Intraosseous Schwannoma: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Schwannoma is a benign neural sheath tumor of the soft tissue, and its intraosseous presentation is very rare. It is estimated that intraosseous schwannomas represent 0.2% of all bone tumors. The tumor may affect any site of the skeleton, including the mandible, the sacrum, vertebral bodies, the ulna, the humerus, the femur, the tibia, the patella, the scapula, the ribs, and small bones of the hand. The involvement of the calcaneus has only been reported four times in the literature. The present study reports the case of a 49-year-old male with right hindfoot pain and a radiological finding of an osteolytic bone lesion in the calcaneus. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathological study. The treatment of choice was an intralesional resection with adjuvant local control, and bone defect substitution with polymethylmethacrylate and fixation with two cannulated screws. The patient had a satisfactory postoperative evolution; after 1 year, he is asymptomatic, with good functional response and no evidence of disease. The present case report shows the clinical, radiological, and pathological features of a rare benign bone neoplasm. Moreover, intraosseous schwannoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of osteolytic calcaneal lesions.

Primary angiosarcoma of the femur in a patient with Takayasu arteritis.

Primary osseous angiosarcoma is a rare entity with variable biological behavior and poor prognosis. Little is known about the oncologic treatment and its etiology is still unknown. This study presents a case of lytic lesion in the right femur with dissemination to other bones, such as the vertebral column and skull, and to the lungs and central nervous system. Orthopedic surgery was performed in order to improve quality of life. Surgical specimen confirmed the diagnosis of high-grade malignant osseous angiosarcoma. Despite oncologic and orthopedic treatment, the patient had rapid and aggressive progression with a poor outcome.

O angiossarcoma ósseo (AO) é uma patologia rara de comportamento biológico variável e com prognóstico reservado. Pouco se conhece sobre o seu tratamento oncológico e sua etiologia ainda é desconhecida. Os autores apresentam um caso de lesão lítica em fêmur proximal que se disseminou para outros ossos (tais como coluna e crânio), pulmão e sistema nervoso central. Foi instituído tratamento ortopédico, com vistas a uma melhoria da qualidade de vida e ao conforto do paciente. O diagnóstico de AO maligno de alto grau foi confirmado pelo espécime cirúrgico. Apesar disso e do tratamento oncológico feito, o paciente apresentou uma evolução rápida e agressiva com desfecho desfavorável.

Axial Axis Metastasis / Metástase do eixo axial

Abstract Axial axis metastasis remains a challenge for surgical as well as other treatment modalities, like chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy. It is unequivocal that surgery provides pain improvements and preservation of neurological status, but this condition remains when associated with radiotherapy and other treatment modalities. In this review, we emphasize the current forms of surgical treatment in the different regions of the spine and pelvis. The evident possibility of percutaneous treatments is related to early or late cases, and in cases in which there are greater risks and instability to conventional surgeries associated with radiotherapy and have been shown to be the appropriate option for local control of metastatic disease.

Resumo As metástases no eixo axial permanecem um desafio para o tratamento cirúrgico bem como para outras modalidades, como quimioterapia, imunoterapia e radioterapia. É inequívoco que a cirurgia proporciona melhorias na dor e na preservação do status neurológico; porém, há permanência desta condição quando associada à radioterapia e a outras modalidades de tratamento. Nesta revisão damos ênfase às formas de tratamento cirúrgico atuais nas diferentes regiões da coluna vertebral e pelve. A evidente possibilidade de tratamentos percutâneos está relacionada a casos iniciais ou tardios, bem como a casos em que há maiores riscos e instabilidade às cirurgias convencionais associadas à radioterapia, e tem se mostrado a opção adequada para o controle local da doença metastática.

Reconstruction with Unconventional Endoprostheses after Resection of Primary Distal Femoral Bone Tumors: Implant Survival and Functional Outcomes / Reconstrução com endoprótese não convencional após ressecção de tumores ósseos primários de fêmur distal: sobrevida do implante e resultados funcionais

Abstract Objective To evaluate the survival time, the failure rate and its causes, and the functional results of cemented endoprostheses, with a polyethylene body, used after resection of primary bone tumors of the distal femur. Methods A retrospective study including 93 primary and 77 review procedures performed between 1987 and 2014. Survival was obtained by the Kaplan Meyer analysis, and the risk factors for implant failure were assessed through the Cox proportional risk model. The causes of endoprosthesis failure were classified according to Henderson et al. into five types: soft-tissue failure, aseptic loosening, structural fracture, infection, and tumor recurrence. The functional evaluation was performed using the functional classification system of the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) of bone sarcomas of the lower extremity, Brazilian version (MSTS-BR). Results Osteosarcoma was the most common diagnosis; 64.5% of the patients were younger than 20 years of age; the mean follow-up was of 124.3 months. The failure rate of the primary implant was of 54.8%, and the mean survival was of 123 months. The estimated survival of the primary implant was of 63.6%, 43.5%, 24.1%, and 14.5% in 5, 10, 15, and 20 years respectively. The most common cause of failure was type 2 (37.3%). Age ≤ 26 years and right side were risk factors for failure. The mean MSTS-BR score was of 20.7 (range: 14 to 27). Conclusion The results obtained for the failure rate and survival of the implant are in accordance with those of the literature, so the procedure herein studied is adequate and yields satisfactory functional results, even in the long term.

Resumo Objetivo Avaliar o tempo de sobrevida, a taxa de falha e suas causas, e os resultados funcionais de endopróteses cimentadas, com corpo em polietileno, empregadas após ressecção de tumores ósseos primários do fêmur distal. Métodos Estudo retrospectivo, que incluiu 93 procedimentos primários e 77 de revisão, realizados entre 1987 e 2014. A sobrevida foi obtida pela análise de Kaplan Meyer, e os fatores de risco para falha do implante foram avaliados por meio do modelo de riscos proporcionais de Cox. As causas de falha da endoprótese foram classificadas segundo Henderson et al. em cinco tipos: falha de partes moles, soltura asséptica, fratura estrutural, infecção e recorrência do tumor. A avaliação funcional foi realizada por meio do sistema de classificação funcional da Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) para sarcomas ósseos da extremidade inferior, versão brasileira (MSTS-BR). Resultados Osteossarcoma foi o diagnóstico mais comum; 64,5% dos pacientes tinham menos de 20 anos; e o seguimento médio foi de 124,3 meses. A taxa de falha do implante primário foi de 54,8%, e a sobrevida média foi 123 meses. A estimativa de sobrevida do implante primário foi de 63,6%, 43,5%, 24,1%, 14,5% em 5, 10, 15 e 20 anos, respectivamente. A causa de falha mais comum foi a do tipo 2 (37,3%). Idade ≤ 26 anos e lado direito foram fatores de risco para falha. A pontuação média no MSTS-BR foi de 20,7 (variação: 14 a 27). Conclusão Os resultados obtidos para a taxa de falha e o tempo de sobrevida do implante estão de acordo com os da literatura, de forma que o procedimento estudado é adequado e apresenta resultados funcionais satisfatórios, inclusive em longo prazo.

Isolated Scapular Metastasis in a Patient with Malignant Struma Ovarii: A Case Report.

CASE: We report the case of a 38-year-old woman who presented with a lytic bone lesion in the left scapula. A biopsy showed a tumor with the histologic appearance of thyroid tissue. She also was found to have a thyroid nodule and an enlarged ovary, both of which were excised. The thyroid nodule turned out to be a benign colloid nodule, and the ovary contained a monodermal teratoma composed of thyroid tissue (struma ovarii). The lesion in the scapula eventually was proven to be metastatic malignant struma ovarii. CONCLUSION: Malignant struma ovarii with bone metastases is very rare, and its diagnosis is a challenge. There are some documented cases with bone metastases, mostly to the thoracic and lumbar spine. The optimal treatment of choice for the bone lesion is unknown because of the rarity of its presentation.

Osteoid osteoma - radiofrequency ablation treatment guided by computed tomography: a case series.

The osteoid osteoma is a benign primary bone tumor that affects mainly males in the second and third decades of life. Radiographic findings show a radiolucent nidus surrounded by reactive sclerotic bone, particularly in the long bones of the lower extremity. Clinically, it presents persistent pain, which is worse at night and improves with salicylates. It can be a self-limiting injury, with an average duration of three years, but because of pain intensity and intolerance to prolonged use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, surgical treatment is an option. The diagnosis is suspected according to the history and radiographic findings, and the confirmation is made by histological analysis. The traditional surgical treatment is the complete excision of the nidus, but some disadvantages have been described, such as difficulties in localizing the lesion and risk of fracture during the procedure, hospital stay for pain control, and unfavorable esthetic outcome. The authors report a series of cases treated with thermal radiofrequency ablation guided by computed tomography in this service. It is a safe and an effective percutaneous method that aims to cure, minimizing the trauma and morbidity when compared with the conventional block-resection method.

O osteoma osteoide é um tumor ósseo primário benigno que acomete mais o sexo masculino na segunda e terceira décadas da vida. Radiograficamente, caracteriza-se por um nicho radiolucente cercado por osso esclerótico reativo, principalmente em ossos longos da extremidade inferior. Clinicamente, apresenta uma dor persistente de longa duração, com pioria noturna e melhoria com salicilatos. Embora possa ser uma lesão autolimitada, com duração média de três anos, a ressecção da lesão é uma opção de tratamento devido à intensidade da dor e intolerância ao uso prolongado de anti-inflamatórios não hormonais. Sua suspeita diagnóstica baseia-se principalmente na história clínica e nos achados radiográficos, a confirmação é feita pelo estudo anatomopatológico. O tratamento cirúrgico clássico é a excisão cirúrgica completa do nicho, porém são descritas desvantagens como a dificuldade para a localização intraoperatória da lesão, risco de fratura durante o procedimento, tempo de internação hospitalar para controle álgico e resultado estético desfavorável. Relatamos uma série de casos tratados com termoablação por radiofrequência guiada por tomografia computadorizada em nosso serviço. Trata-se de um método percutâneo seguro e eficaz que tem como objetivo a cura, minimiza o trauma e a morbidade do procedimento, quando comparado com o método convencional de ressecção em bloco.

Intraosseous Schwannoma: Case Report and Review of the Literature / Schwannoma intraósseo: Relato de caso e revisão da literatura

Abstract Schwannoma is a benign neural sheath tumor of the soft tissue, and its intraosseous presentation is very rare. It is estimated that intraosseous schwannomas represent 0.2% of all bone tumors. The tumor may affect any site of the skeleton, including the mandible, the sacrum, vertebral bodies, the ulna, the humerus, the femur, the tibia, the patella, the scapula, the ribs, and small bones of the hand. The involvement of the calcaneus has only been reported four times in the literature. The present study reports the case of a 49-year-old male with right hindfoot pain and a radiological finding of an osteolytic bone lesion in the calcaneus. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathological study. The treatment of choice was an intralesional resection with adjuvant local control, and bone defect substitution with polymethylmethacrylate and fixation with two cannulated screws. The patient had a satisfactory postoperative evolution; after 1 year, he is asymptomatic, with good functional response and no evidence of disease. The present case report shows the clinical, radiological, and pathological features of a rare benign bone neoplasm. Moreover, intraosseous schwannoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of osteolytic calcaneal lesions.

Resumo Schwannomas são tumores benignos oriundos de células da bainha neural cuja apresentação intraóssea é rara. Estima-se que os schwannomas intraósseos representem 0,2% de todos os tumores ósseos. Schwannomas podem acometer diferentes ossos do esqueleto, como a mandíbula, o sacro, corpos vertebrais, a ulna, o úmero, o fêmur, a tíbia, a patela, a escápula, costelas e ossos da mão. Apenas quatro casos que acometeram o calcâneo foram descritos na literatura. No presente trabalho, os autores relatam o caso de um paciente masculino de 49 anos com dor no retropé direito e com exames de imagem que evidenciaram lesão osteolítica no calcâneo. O estudo histopatológico confirmou o diagnóstico de Schwannoma intraósseo. O tratamento de escolha foi ressecção intralesional com adjuvância local e substituição por polimetilmetacrilato e fixação com parafusos canulados. O paciente evoluiu de forma satisfatória no pós-operatório e, após 1 ano de evolução, encontra-se assintomático, com boa resposta funcional e sem evidência de doença. Com esse relato, os autores desejam chamar atenção para essa patologia rara, sua apresentação clínica, radiológica e patológica, além de reiterar a importância de incluir o schwannoma intraósseo dentre os diagnósticos diferenciais das lesões osteolíticas do calcâneo.

Primary angiosarcoma of the femur in a patient with Takayasu arteritis / Angiossarcoma primário do fêmur em um paciente com arterite de Takayasu

ABSTRACT Primary osseous angiosarcoma is a rare entity with variable biological behavior and poor prognosis. Little is known about the oncologic treatment and its etiology is still unknown. This study presents a case of lytic lesion in the right femur with dissemination to other bones, such as the vertebral column and skull, and to the lungs and central nervous system. Orthopedic surgery was performed in order to improve quality of life. Surgical specimen confirmed the diagnosis of high-grade malignant osseous angiosarcoma. Despite oncologic and orthopedic treatment, the patient had rapid and aggressive progression with a poor outcome.

RESUMO O angiossarcoma ósseo (AO) é uma patologia rara de comportamento biológico variável e com prognóstico reservado. Pouco se conhece sobre o seu tratamento oncológico e sua etiologia ainda é desconhecida. Os autores apresentam um caso de lesão lítica em fêmur proximal que se disseminou para outros ossos (tais como coluna e crânio), pulmão e sistema nervoso central. Foi instituído tratamento ortopédico, com vistas a uma melhoria da qualidade de vida e ao conforto do paciente. O diagnóstico de AO maligno de alto grau foi confirmado pelo espécime cirúrgico. Apesar disso e do tratamento oncológico feito, o paciente apresentou uma evolução rápida e agressiva com desfecho desfavorável.

Osteoid osteoma - radiofrequency ablation treatment guided by computed tomography: a case series / Osteoma osteoide - Tratamento com radioablação guiada por tomografia computadorizada: uma série de casos

ABSTRACT The osteoid osteoma is a benign primary bone tumor that affects mainly males in the second and third decades of life. Radiographic findings show a radiolucent nidus surrounded by reactive sclerotic bone, particularly in the long bones of the lower extremity. Clinically, it presents persistent pain, which is worse at night and improves with salicylates. It can be a self-limiting injury, with an average duration of three years, but because of pain intensity and intolerance to prolonged use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, surgical treatment is an option. The diagnosis is suspected according to the history and radiographic findings, and the confirmation is made by histological analysis. The traditional surgical treatment is the complete excision of the nidus, but some disadvantages have been described, such as difficulties in localizing the lesion and risk of fracture during the procedure, hospital stay for pain control, and unfavorable esthetic outcome. The authors report a series of cases treated with thermal radiofrequency ablation guided by computed tomography in this service. It is a safe and an effective percutaneous method that aims to cure, minimizing the trauma and morbidity when compared with the conventional block-resection method.

RESUMO O osteoma osteoide é um tumor ósseo primário benigno que acomete mais o sexo masculino na segunda e terceira décadas da vida. Radiograficamente, caracteriza-se por um nicho radiolucente cercado por osso esclerótico reativo, principalmente em ossos longos da extremidade inferior. Clinicamente, apresenta uma dor persistente de longa duração, com pioria noturna e melhoria com salicilatos. Embora possa ser uma lesão autolimitada, com duração média de três anos, a ressecção da lesão é uma opção de tratamento devido à intensidade da dor e intolerância ao uso prolongado de anti-inflamatórios não hormonais. Sua suspeita diagnóstica baseia-se principalmente na história clínica e nos achados radiográficos, a confirmação é feita pelo estudo anatomopatológico. O tratamento cirúrgico clássico é a excisão cirúrgica completa do nicho, porém são descritas desvantagens como a dificuldade para a localização intraoperatória da lesão, risco de fratura durante o procedimento, tempo de internação hospitalar para controle álgico e resultado estético desfavorável. Relatamos uma série de casos tratados com termoablação por radiofrequência guiada por tomografia computadorizada em nosso serviço. Trata-se de um método percutâneo seguro e eficaz que tem como objetivo a cura, minimiza o trauma e a morbidade do procedimento, quando comparado com o método convencional de ressecção em bloco.

Nitric oxide synthases, cyclooxygenase-2, nitrotyrosine, and angiogenesis in chondrosarcoma and their relation to prognosis.

BACKGROUND: The localization in tumor tissue of various markers by immunohistochemistry can help to establish a diagnosis or predict prognosis. Nitric oxide is associated with tumors and has been studied indirectly by nitrotyrosine analysis and with use of the enzymes nitric oxide synthase (NOS)1, NOS2, and NOS3. Nitric oxide reacts with superoxide anions to yield peroxynitrite, which has toxic effects on genes. Peroxynitrite adds a nitro group to the benzene ring of tyrosine to form nitrotyrosine. The accumulation of nitrotyrosine, a stable product in cells, indicates the formation of peroxynitrite. Nitric oxide stimulates the production of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), which has been associated with angiogenesis in tumors. Neovascularization influences tumor prognosis, as demonstrated by microvessel studies with use of CD34, an immunohistochemical endothelial cell marker. This study examines the expression of these markers in chondrosarcomas and their relation to histological grade and prognosis. METHODS: Tissue microarrays composed of formalin-fixed tissue samples from 101 patients with chondrosarcoma were immunohistochemically stained to localize NOS1, NOS2, NOS3, COX-2, nitrotyrosine, and CD34. Five samples of normal cartilage were used as controls. Patient demographics, selected surgical variables, and tumor grade were tabulated, and the associations were analyzed. Analyses of local and overall survival rates were performed with use of the Kaplan-Meier method, and multivariable analyses were performed. RESULTS: There was a significant association of nitrotyrosine, COX-2, and CD34 with histological grades (p = 0.022, p = 0.014, and p = 0.028, respectively), but not with overall prognosis (p = 0.064, p = 0.143, and p = 0.581, respectively). The presence of NOS2 was associated with a lower rate of local disease-free survival (p = 0.038), and positive expressions of NOS1 and NOS2 were associated with decreased overall survival rates (p = 0.007 and p < 0.001, respectively). On multivariable analysis, NOS2 expression demonstrated an independent prognostic impact on local disease-free survival; NOS1 and NOS2 expression was a dependent variable, and their isolated or combined expression was related to lower overall survival rates (p = 0.046 and p = 0.004) (hazard ratio, 3.17 [95% confidence interval, 1.0 to 9.8] and 5.58 [95% confidence interval, 1.7 to 18.0], respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Immunohistochemical markers may have an independent value in predicting the prognosis for patients with chondrosarcoma.