Primary osteosarcoma of the breast: report of 2 cases

Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2007 May;131(5):792-5. doi: 10.5858/2007-131-792-POOTBR.

Abstract

Two distinct histologic variants of primary breast osteosarcoma in 2 elderly women are described. The first patient was an 88-year-old woman with a long-standing, slow-growing, 18-cm mass in her right breast. The second patient was a 96-year-old woman with a recently self-detected, painless, 7.5-cm lump in her left breast. Clinically, there was no evidence of metastasis, and both women underwent simple mastectomy. Histologic features of both specimens were those of high-grade primary breast osteosarcoma. The first patient's tumor was classified as a chondroblastic variant, and the second as an osteoblastic variant of osteosarcoma. The patients were alive without evidence of local recurrence or hematogenous spread at a 16- and 4-month follow-up, respectively. Primary mammary osteosarcoma should be distinguished from metaplastic/sarcomatoid carcinoma with heterologous osseous/cartilaginous differentiation or malignant phyllodes tumor because it has a different biological behavior and requires a different treatment approach.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Breast Neoplasms / complications
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / complications
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Heart Failure / complications
  • Humans
  • Hypothyroidism / complications
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Osteosarcoma / complications
  • Osteosarcoma / metabolism
  • Osteosarcoma / pathology*
  • Phyllodes Tumor / pathology
  • Sarcoma / pathology
  • Thrombocytopenia / complications