Identification of chromosomal aberrations associated with disease progression and a novel 3q13.31 deletion involving LSAMP gene in osteosarcoma.

Five osteosarcoma (OS) cell lines, 37 OS tumors and 9 corresponding non-neoplastic samples were genotyped by Affymetrix 10 K 2.0 SNP array. Regions of high level amplification and homozygous deletion were identified and validated by quantitative PCR and FISH.

Malignant ganglioneuroma arising from mediastinal mixed germ cell tumor.

Mixed germ cell tumors with non-germ cell malignant components rarely occur in the anterior mediastinum. We report a case of a 34-year-old man who presented with an anterior mediastinum mass. Mixed germ cell tumor was initially diagnosed based on the pathologic findings of germinoma on thoracoscopic biopsy and clinical findings of elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein and beta-human chorionic gonadotropin.

Comparison between F-18-FDG positron emission tomography and histology for the assessment of tumor necrosis rates in primary osteosarcoma.

Background: The purpose of this prospective study was to identify if F-18-fluorodeoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (F-18-FDG PET) was a reliable noninvasive surrogate of histologic response in determining the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy before surgical resection in primary osteosarcoma.

Methods: Between January 2003 and December 2003, 10 patients with primary osteosarcomas were examined using F-18-FDG PET before neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery. The mean age at the time of first intervention was 19 years (range, 4-47 years).

Extraosseous osteogenic sarcoma.

Extraosseous osteogenic sarcoma is a very rare malignant neoplasm. Out of the more than 400 cases of soft tissue sarcomas on file in our hospital, only 2 were extraosseous osteogenic sarcomas. Both were situated in the thigh.

Retroperitoneal venous hemangioma.

Venous hemangioma is an extremely uncommon tumor. We report a 61-year-old woman with a surgically proven venous hemangioma in the retroperitoneum. Image studies, including sonography, computed tomography and angiography, revealed a heterogeneous mass lesion with firm adherence to the adjacent organs and engulfing the major vessels.

Allograft arthrodesis of the knee in high-grade osteosarcoma.

Background: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the outcomes of massive allograft arthrodesis in the management of high-grade osteosarcoma around the knee.

Methods: The results of 19 patients with high-grade osteosarcoma around the knee, which was treated by wide resection and reconstruction using allograft arthrodesis, were evaluated for a mean length of 7.3 years (range, 3-13 years).

Accumulation of mitochondrial DNA with 4977-bp deletion in knee cartilage--an association with idiopathic osteoarthritis.

Objective: Since mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations have been established to associate with the aging process and some degenerative diseases, we investigated the correlation between idiopathic osteoarthritis (OA) and the 4977-bp mtDNA deletion.

Design: Cartilage were collected from six sites in knee joints removed from 18 aged patients with idiopathic OA, 10 aged non-OA cadavers, 3 young cadavers (YC), and lateral femoral condyle of 9 young patients. Histopathologic changes were examined and the common 4977-bp mtDNA deletions were analyzed in young and elderly cartilages obtained from different sites in the knee joint.

Orbital metastatic osteosarcoma.

A 15-year-old girl with right tibial osteosarcoma, diagnosed 22 months previously, developed right orbital and skull base metastases, with symptoms including painful protrusion of the right eyeball and severe visual impairment. She underwent embolization of the metastatic tumor, local irradiation, and chemotherapy followed by intralesional resection of the mass because extensive involvement of the skull base precluded complete surgical resection. The best corrected visual acuity in her right eye initially decreased to 20/200, then dropped to no light perception after embolization, and then improved to counting fingers at 50 cm after radiotherapy.

Treatment of focal cerebral ischemia with liposomal nerve growth factor.

Liposomal nerve growth factor (NGF) was used for the treatment of focal cerebral ischemia in a rat model. Positive charge inducing agents of sphingosine (SP) and stearylamine (S) were formulated in the liposomal NGF. Dose-response of intraventricular injection of liposomal NGF showed significant reduction in infarct volume at the dose of 5 and 10 microg/rat of NGF.

Angiofibroma of the hypopharynx.

Primary extranasopharyngeal angiofibroma is very rare. To date, approximately 60 cases have been reported in the English literature. Only 1 case was confined to the posterior wall of hypopharynx.

Huge aneurysmal bone cyst of iliac bone in a mid-aged female.

Aneurysmal bone cyst is a rare nonneoplastic expansile osteolytic bone lesion of unknown etiology. It usually occurs in the first 2 decades of life. The most common sites are the metaphysio-epiphyseal areas of long bones or vertebrae with eccentric expansion.

Localized amyloidosis of the cornea secondary to trichiasis: clinical course and pathogenesis.

Purpose: To present four cases of localized corneal amyloidosis secondary to trichiasis and to discuss its pathogenesis.

Methods: Medical and pathologic records of four patients with corneal amyloidosis secondary to trichiasis were reviewed retrospectively. Two patients underwent trichiasis surgery and then lamellar keratectomy.