Periosteal fasciitis in a 7-year old girl: a diagnostic dilemma

Periosteal fasciitis, considered a subtype of nodular fasciitis, is a rare benign soft tissue mass often misdiagnosed as a malignant lesion due to its fast and infiltrative growth pattern and histological features. Nodular fasciitis is usually found in the upper extremities in adults and in the head and neck region in children. Incorrect diagnosis may lead to overtreatment, potentially causing disturbed orofacial development in growing children. A rapidly growing asymptomatic mass, initially suspected to be a malignant bone tumour, was found in the left angle area of the mandible in a healthy 7-year-old girl. Radiographic examination revealed an exophytic, expansile and destructive nodule arising from the periosteal region. A diagnosis of periosteal fasciitis was established based on histological findings in an open biopsy specimen and the lesion was subsequently enucleated. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis revealed a USP6 gene rearrangement and confirmed the diagnosis molecularly. Due to the aggressive growth pattern without external trauma and the results of the gene rearrangement test, it is suggested that nodular fasciitis be regarded as a benign neoplasm rather than as a reactive process. The patient remains free of disease at 3 years after surgery

A non-randomised, single-centre comparison of induction chemotherapy followed by radiochemotherapy versus concomitant chemotherapy with hyperfractionated radiotherapy in inoperable head and neck carcinomas

BACKGROUND: The application of induction chemotherapy failed to provide a consistent benefit for local control in primary treatment of advanced head and neck (H&N) cancers. The aim of this study was to compare the results of concomitant application of radiochemotherapy for treating locally advanced head-and-neck carcinoma in comparison with the former standard of sequential radiochemotherapy. METHODS: Between 1987 and 1995 we treated 122 patients with unresectable (stage IV head and neck) cancer by two different protocols. The sequential protocol (SEQ; 1987–1992) started with two courses of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (cisplatin [CDDP] + 120-h continuous infusions (c.i.) of folinic acid [FA] and 5-fluorouracil [5-FU]), followed by a course of radiochemotherapy using conventional fractionation up to 70 Gy. The concomitant protocol (CON; since 1993) combined two courses of FA/5-FU c.i. plus mitomycin (MMC) concomitantly with a course of radiotherapy up to 30 Gy in conventional fractionation, followed by a hyperfractionated course up to 72 Gy. Results from the two groups were compared. RESULTS: Patient and tumor characteristics were balanced (SEQ = 70, CON = 52 pts.). Mean radiation dose achieved (65.3 Gy vs. 71.6 Gy, p = 0.00), response rates (67 vs. 90 % for primary, p = 0.02), and local control (LC; 17.6% vs. 41%, p = 0.03), were significantly lower in the SEQ group, revealing a trend towards lower disease-specific (DSS; 19.8% vs. 31.4%, p = 0.08) and overall (14.7% vs. 23.7%, p = 0.11) survival rates after 5 years. Mucositis grades III and IV prevailed in the CON group (54% versus 44%). Late toxicity was similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Concurrent chemotherapy seemed more effective in treating head and neck tumors than induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiation, resulting in better local control and a trend towards improved survival

Carbon ion therapy for ameloblastic carcinoma

Ameloblastic carcinomas are rare odontogenic tumors. Treatment usually consists of surgical resection and sometimes adjuvant radiation. We report the case of a 71 year-old male patient undergoing carbon ion therapy for extensive local relapse of ameloblastic carcinoma. Treatment outcome was favourable with a complete remission at 6 weeks post completion of radiotherapy while RT-treatment itself was tolerated well with only mild side effects. High dose radiation hence is a potential alternative for patients unfit or unwilling to undergo extensive surgery or in cases when only a subtotal resection is planned or the resection is mutilating

Clinical Practice: Giant Cell Tumour of the Jaw Mimicking Bone Malignancy on Three-Dimensional Computed Tomography (3D CT) Reconstruction

A wide range of diseases may present with radiographic features of osteolysis. Periapical inflammation, cysts and benign tumours, bone malignancies, all of these conditions may show bone resorption on radiograph. Features of the surrounding bone, margins of the lesion, and biological behaviour including tendency to infiltration and root resorption, may represent important criteria for distinguishing benign tumours from their malign counterpart, although the radiographic aspect of the lesion is not always predictive. Therefore a critical differential diagnosis has to be reached to choose the best management. Here, we report a case of giant cell tumour (GCT) whose radiological features by computed tomography (CT) suggested the presence of bone malignancy, whereas the evaluation of a routine OPT scan comforted us about the benign nature of the lesion. A brief review of the literature on such a benign but locally aggressive neoplasm is also provided

Clear cell chondrosarcoma of the head and neck

Clear cell chondrosarcoma is a rare variant of chondrosarcoma that mostly involves the end of long bones. However, nine cases have been reported in the head and neck: four in larynx, two in nasal septum, two in maxilla and one in the skull. These cases form the basis of this review. Head and neck cases accounts for less than 5% of Clear cell chondrosarcomas in the whole body and the larynx is the most common place. The histological findings of head and neck cases are consistent with general features of this entity in the whole body and nearly all tumors in this case series had a component of conventional chondrosarcoma. Clear cell chondrosarcoma is an intracompartmental tumor and retains "Grenz zone" just beneath the epithelium. Therefore, the overlying mucosa remained intact in all laryngeal cases. Nasal tumor caused ballooning of the septum and the maxillary lesion did not involve the oral mucosa. This tumor presents various radiographic features in the head and neck area. Chondroblastoma, chondroma, osteoblastoma, osteosarcoma and metastatic renal cell carcinoma are included in the histologic differential diagnoses. Differentiation from chondroblastic osteosarcoma is important in the maxilla. A wide resection is adequate in most cases. However, some laryngeal cases show tendency to recur. Clear cell chondrosarcoma is a slow growing tumor and this necessitates a long time follow-up of patients. Due to the extreme rarity in the head and neck, diagnosis of Clear cell chondrosarcoma in this area, must be confirmed by histochemical and immunohistochemical studies

Clinical Practice: Giant Cell Tumour of the Jaw Mimicking Bone Malignancy on Three-Dimensional Computed Tomography (3D CT) Reconstruction

A wide range of diseases may present with radiographic features of osteolysis. Periapical inflammation, cysts and benign tumours, bone malignancies, all of these conditions may show bone resorption on radiograph. Features of the surrounding bone, margins of the lesion, and biological behaviour including tendency to infiltration and root resorption, may represent important criteria for distinguishing benign tumours from their malign counterpart, although the radiographic aspect of the lesion is not always predictive. Therefore a critical differential diagnosis has to be reached to choose the best management. Here, we report a case of giant cell tumour (GCT) whose radiological features by computed tomography (CT) suggested the presence of bone malignancy, whereas the evaluation of a routine OPT scan comforted us about the benign nature of the lesion. A brief review of the literature on such a benign but locally aggressive neoplasm is also provided

A spindle cell carcinoma presenting with osseous metaplasia in the gingiva: a case report with immunohistochemical analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Spindle cell carcinoma (SpCC) is a rare, high malignant variant of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), which shows biphasic proliferation of conventional SCC component and malignant spindle shape cells with sarcomatous appearance.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A case of Spindle cell carcinoma with bone-like calcified materials, occurring at the mandibular molar region of 71-years-old Japanese male patient was presented with gross finding, histological findings and MRI image. To identify the characteristics of the bone-like materials, immunohistochemistry were performed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Histologically, the cancer cells were composed of spindle cells and epithelial cells which form nests with prominent keratinization. Histological findings showed typical histology of the SpCC, however, as an uncommon finding, spatters of calcified, bone-like materials were observed in between the cancer cells. Immunohistochemistry revealed that cancer cells were positive for cytokeratins and vimentin to a varying degree and negative for Desmin, S-100, Osteopontin, BMP-2 or BMP-4. These findings implied that the calcified materials were formed by metaplasia of the stromal cells.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Bone-like materials formation by osseous and/or cartilaginous metaplasia of the stroma in the carcinoma has been reported. However, the detailed mechanism of these metaplasia and affection on the clinical feature, prognosis and therapies are not well established. In summary, we presented an unique case of SpCC, which has not been described in the literature.</p