Soft tissue osteosarcoma : A case report


Published online: Dec 27 2006

Narayan Hulse, Ashok S. Paul

From the Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, United Kingdom

Abstract

Osteosarcomas arising from extraskeletal locations are extremely rare and their true prevalence is unknown. We describe a case of soft tissue-origin-osteosarcoma arising from the vastus medialis muscle in a 58-year old woman. The possibility of a malignant tumour was not suspected initially and she was referred to a specialist unit only one year after the onset of the swelling. She was successfully treated with a surgical resection, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Because of the rarity of the tumour, a high degree of suspicion is required to make an early diagnosis. The differential diagnosis of a soft tissue mass located in the thigh in a patient over the age of 40 years, should include extraskeletal osteosarcoma.