Clinical factors affecting pathological fracture and healing of unicameral bone cysts.

BACKGROUND: Unicameral bone cyst (UBC) is the most common benign lytic bone lesion seen in children. The aim of this study is to investigate clinical factors affecting pathological fracture and healing of UBC. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 155 UBC patients who consulted Nagoya musculoskeletal oncology group hospitals in Japan. Sixty of the 155 patients had pathological fracture at presentation. Of 141 patients with follow-up periods exceeding 6 months, 77 were followed conservatively and 64 treated by surgery. RESULTS: The fracture risk was significantly higher in the humerus than other bones. In multivariate analysis, ballooning of bone, cyst in long bone, male sex, thin cortical thickness and multilocular cyst were significant adverse prognostic factors for pathological fractures at presentation. The healing rates were 30% and 83% with observation and surgery, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that fracture at presentation and history of biopsy were good prognostic factors for healing of UBC in patients under observation. CONCLUSION: The present results suggest that mechanical disruption of UBC such as fracture and biopsy promotes healing, and thus watchful waiting is indicated in these patients, whereas patients with poor prognostic factors for fractures should be considered for surgery.

Clinical Outcome in Patients With High-grade Soft-tissue Sarcoma Receiving Prosthetic Replacement After Tumor Resection of the Lower Extremities: Tokai Musculoskeletal Oncology Consortium Study.

AIM: This multicenter retrospective study aimed to clarify the surgical and oncological outcomes of patients with high-grade soft tissue sarcoma (STS) who underwent prosthetic replacement reconstruction after lower extremity tumor resection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively collected the data of 27 patients with high-grade STS. The mean follow-up duration after prosthetic replacement was 44.7 months. RESULTS: The mean age at surgery was 63 years. The mean tumor size was 16 cm. For reconstruction, proximal femur replacement was performed in 15 patients, distal femur replacement in six, and total femur replacement in six. The major complications were infections in nine patients and aseptic loosening in four. Nine patients developed local recurrence. The cause of revision surgery was infection in five patients, aseptic loosening in three, and metal allergy in one. The 5-year prosthetic survival rate was 51.1%. At the final follow-up, amputation was performed in five patients. The 5-year limb salvage rate was 76.8%. The mean functional score of the 25 patients who could be assessed was 16.0 (53%). Of the 27 patients, five were excluded from the survival analysis because they underwent prosthetic replacement for local recurrence. The 5-year overall survival rate in the remaining 22 patients was 45.3%. CONCLUSION: We identified a high rate of surgical complications and poor survival in patients with high-grade STS who underwent tumor resection and reconstruction using prosthetic replacement of the lower extremities, although limb salvage was achieved in 81.5% of the patients. Careful follow-up is needed for surgical complications and oncological events after surgery.

Differential expression of angiogenic factors in peripheral nerve sheath tumors.

It is difficult to differentiate some malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) from benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors (BPNST) histologically, and to predict the clinical outcome of patients with MPNST. In this study, the expression of VEGF and MVD were evaluated immunohistochemically in 22 cases of MPNST, 14 of neurofibroma and 19 of schwannoma and correlation of the staining grade of VEGF or MVD and the various clinical factors were analyzed, and statistically evaluated. Levels of VEGF mRNA expression were also determined with real-time RT-PCR. Statistically higher positive staining for VEGF was observed in MPNST compared to neurofibroma (P=0.004) and schwannoma (P<0.001). Even low grade MPNST showed higher VEGF positive staining than neurofibroma. Moreover, high VEGF expression statistically correlated with the poor prognosis of the patients with MPNST (P=0.015). Although MVD in MPNST was significantly higher than that in neurofibroma (P=0.038) and schwannoma (P<0.001), MVD could not predict the prognosis of the patients with MPNST. Although VEGF mRNA expression tended to be higher in MPNST compared to neurofibroma, the difference was not significant. Levels of VEGF protein expression serve as a novel diagnostic and prognostic tools for peripheral nerve sheath tumors.

Surgical treatment for fibrous dysplasia of femoral neck with mild but prolonged symptoms: a case series.

BACKGROUND: The proximal femur is one of the most common sites involved by fibrous dysplasia. In cases with mild deformity that does not require corrective surgery, occasional patients suffer sustained pain because of repeated microfractures. This study aimed to clarify the outcomes of surgery with autogenous fibular cortical strut grafting and compression hip screw fixation. METHODS: Since 2002, eight consecutive patients (nine hips) with femoral neck fibrous dysplasia without severe deformity were prospectively treated with autogenous fibular strut grafting and compression hip screw fixation. RESULTS: Mean age of patients was 35 years. Mean follow-up of patients after surgery was 75 months. Most of the patients could walk with full weight-bearing 2 weeks after surgery. Functional score of lower extremity was significantly improved from 65 % to 95 % (P = 0.001). Femoral neck angle was increased from 127 to 130. Donor site of strut cortical fibula showed good regeneration with ß-tricalcium phosphate. CONCLUSIONS: Autogenous fibular cortical strut grafting and compression hip screw fixation achieved good post-operative function and provided an early return to work for adult patients with fibrous dysplasia of the femoral neck with mild but prolonged symptoms. Morbidity in the donor site of fibula strut is minimal with the use of ß-tricalcium phosphate.

Brachialis muscle tear mimicking an intramuscular tumor: a report of two cases.

Isolated brachialis muscle tears are rare. The rarity causes the misdiagnosis of this injury. We report 2 cases of males with an isolated brachialis muscle tear who were referred to our hospital with a diagnosis of a neoplasm in the arm. Both of the patients improved completely without radical treatment.

Hyaluronan oligosaccharides inhibit tumorigenicity of osteosarcoma cell lines MG-63 and LM-8 in vitro and in vivo via perturbation of hyaluronan-rich pericellular matrix of the cells.

Numerous studies have demonstrated a correlation between hyaluronan expression and the malignant properties of various kinds of cancer, and inhibition of hyaluronan production causes decreased tumor growth. Hyaluronan oligosaccharides have been shown to inhibit several tumor cell types via disruption of receptor-hyaluronan interaction. However, few studies have addressed hyaluronan with respect to osteosarcoma. In this study, we examined the effects of exogenously added hyaluronan oligosaccharides on tumorigenicity of murine osteosarcoma cells, LM-8, and human osteoblastic osteosarcoma cells, MG-63. Moreover, the critical size of oligomers needed to inhibit malignant properties was defined. Fluorescent hyaluronan oligosaccharides accumulated both on the surface of cells and in the cytoplasm, and this retention was blocked by pretreatment with an anti-CD44 monoclonal antibody. Hyaluronan octasaccharides significantly inhibited cell viability and induced apoptosis as defined by cell proliferation and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling assays, respectively. Octasaccharides also abrogated functional cell-associated matrices and significantly reduced the retention of endogenous hyaluronan. Further, octasaccharide treatment affected an inhibition of cell motility as well as cell invasiveness. Pretreatment of the cells with anti-CD44 antibody reduced the antitumor effect of the octasaccharides. In vivo, intratumoral injection of hyaluronan octasaccharides reduced the hyaluronan accumulation in local tumors, resulting in significant suppression of the formation of distant lung metastasis. Together these data suggest that hyaluronan oligosaccharides have potent antitumor effects functioning in part by the abrogation of hyaluronan-rich cell-associated matrices.

Meloxicam inhibits osteosarcoma growth, invasiveness and metastasis by COX-2-dependent and independent routes.

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors exert antitumor activity via COX-2-dependent and independent pathways. We wished to evaluate the antitumor activity of meloxicam, a preferential COX-2 inhibitor, in osteosarcoma, the most common primary malignant bone tumor, and determine whether its antitumor effect is COX-2-dependent. COX-2 expression in the osteosarcoma cell lines MG-63, HOS and U2-OS was determined by real-time RT-PCR and western blotting. Subsequently, the inhibitory effects of meloxicam on osteosarcoma cell growth and invasiveness were assayed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and matrigel invasion assays, respectively. Apoptotic activity was evaluated by terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling staining and semi-quantification of Bax and Bcl-2 expression by real time RT-PCR and western blotting. Prostaglandin-E(2) (PGE(2)) production in the presence and absence of meloxicam was analyzed by enzyme immunoassay, and to determine whether the effects of meloxicam are COX-2-dependent or independent, PGE(2) was added to see if it reversed the effects of meloxicam. In addition, the effects of meloxicam on tumor growth and metastasis were evaluated in an in vivo mouse model using grafted LM-8 mouse osteosarcoma cells, together with immunohistochemical analysis for vascular endothelial growth factor in lung metastatic lesion. Meloxicam inhibited PGE(2) production, proliferation and invasiveness especially in MG-63 cells, which express relatively high levels of COX-2. Only high concentrations of meloxicam caused apoptosis and upregulated Bax mRNA and protein in MG-63 cell culture. In contrast, meloxicam did not induce apoptosis in HOS and U2-OS cells, expressing relatively low levels of COX-2. Exogenous PGE(2) reduced the effects of meloxicam on cell viability and invasiveness, but not its effect on Bax mRNA. In vivo, high doses of meloxicam suppressed LM-8 tumor growth and lung metastasis. Meloxicam, may have both COX-2-dependent and independent inhibitory actions on osteosarcoma. Its effects are more prominent in osteosarcoma cells that have relatively high levels of COX-2.