MSK malignancies Flashcards
Red flags for bone pain
- pain when rest
- night pain
- lumps present (tender, enlarging, deep to fascia, above 5cm in diameter)
- loss of function of joint
- neurological symptoms
- unwell or weight loss
What are the 3 things we should do when assessing someone with bone pain?
Look at the bone
Feel the bone - assess any masses present, note the size, shape, pain, tethered to skin or deep tissues etc.
Move the bone - range of movement and neurovascular status
What are urine Bence Jones protein and what are they diagnostic of?
immunoglobulin light chains found in the urine and are diagnostic of multiple myeloma
What is a zone of transition? What does it help us differentiate?
Most reliable indicator in determining whether an osteolytic lesion is benign or malignant
Narrow zone of transition: sharp, well defined border and is a sign of slow growth
Wide zone of transition: ill-defined border and is a sign of aggressive growth
When would you expect to see an ‘onion skin appearance’ in a bone?
In a fast growing process, the periosteum does not have time to respond and cannot form new bone as fast. This leads to an ‘onion skin’ appearance as the process of forming new bone is constantly interrupted.
Can see in Ewings, osteosarcoma and osteomyelitis
When would you expect to see a ‘sunburst’ appearance in bone?
The sunburst appearance occurs when there is a rapid and steady process which does not allow the periosteum to lay down a shell of bone. Tiny fibres connecting the periosteum to the bone (sharpey’s fibres) ossify and leads to a sunburst or hair on end appearance.
Can see in osteosarcoma and Ewing’s
When would you expect to see ‘codemans triangle’ on bone x ray?
The codemans triangle occurs when there is a rapid and steady process and there is no time for the sharpey fibres to ossify. Instead, only the edges of the raised periosteum will ossify.
Can see in osteosarcoma, ewing’s, Germ Cell Tumour, osteomyelitis and metastases
What information can CT scan give us regarding bones?
Info on whether the lesion is intra or extra medullary
Determine whether it is solid or cystic
Neoplastic or inflammatory
Look for cortex involvement
What information can MRI scan give us regarding bones?
Visualise the bone marrow contents and differentiate between malignant and benign tumours
What information can a bone scan give us? Can it differentiate between malignant and benign?
Can show us ‘hot spots’ where there are high levels of bone turnover and can visualise multiple lesions or metastases from different areas in the body.
It cannot differentiate between malignant and benign tumours.
What information can a PET scan give us, how does it work?
PET scan detects changes in tissues that use glucose as their energy source
Cancers use a lot of glucose so they get picked up in the scan
Involves injecting a small amount of radioactive substance which travels to the place where the glucose if being used up and shows up on the scans.
Why do we perform a biopsy of the bone? What are some ways we can biopsy?
To confirm a suspected diagnosis using fine needle aspiration, tru-cut biopsy, incision or excision biopsies.
Describe the Enneking classification of tumour grading (1,2,3)
Grade 1 - latent
- Well defined margin, grows slowly then stops
- May heal spontaneously and very low risk of recurrence
Grade 2 - active
- Progressive growth limited by natural barriers
- Well defined margin but may expand and thin cortical bone
- Negligible recurrence after marginal excision
Grade 3 - aggressive
- Growth not limited by natural barriers
- Metastasis present in 5% of patients
- High recurrence following marginal resection (extended resections needed)
How do we manage suspected bone sarcoma?
referred for plain x-ray via 2 week wait (adults) and 48h wait (children)
If x ray is suspicious = refer to specialist bone cancer centre (2week wait) or 48h wait for children
If x-ray unclear and symptoms persist = further imaging including MRI
Where in the body are osteosarcomas likely to present? (which bones are they common in)
Knee
Distal femur & proximal tibia
Where in the body are chondrosarcomas likely to present? (which bones are they common in)
Pelvis
Where in the body are Giant Cell Tumours likely to present? (which bones are they common in)
Knee
Where in the body is Ewing’s likely to present? (which bones are they common in)
ribs, pelvis, proximal femur, around the knee, feet.
What are some primary cancers which commonly metastasise to bone? (5) Where is the most common site they metastasise to?
Breast Lung Kidney Prostate Thyroid Most common site of metastasis if the spine.
Describe what an osteoid osteoma is, most common age of presentation, does it affect more males or females? Where does it usually present?
How do they usually present? X ray finding?
Treatment?
Benign lesion in young patients typically 10-20 and more common in males.
Commonly found in the metaphysis of long bones (prox femur, tibia and spine)
Pain which is worse at night, swelling, limping, tenderness and made better with NSAIDs.
X ray shows small masses with a rim of reactive bone.
Treatment: conservative, imaging every 6 m and prognosis is good.
Describe what an osteochondroma is, most common age of presentation, does it affect more males or females? Where does it usually present?
How do they usually present? X ray finding?
Treatment?
- Outgrowth from the metaphysis of long bones covered with a cartilaginous cap, grows away from growth plate and stops growing after puberty
- Appears in second decade of life (10-20y) and more common in males
- Presenting complaint: painless lump
- Can be associated with hereditary conditions such as multiple hereditary exostoses
Xray
- Shows pedunculated bony outgrowth from metaphysis pointing away from the joint
Management
- Most managed conservatively through serial radiological imaging every 4-6m
- If there is significant deformity or neurological symptoms or suspicion - may warrant surgery
What is the most common benign tumour of bone?
Enchondromas
Describe what an enchondroma is, most common age of presentation?
Where does it usually present?
How do they usually present? X ray finding?
Treatment?
- Most common benign tumour
- Arises from chondroblasts within the medullary cavity of the bones or from the cortical surface
- 20-50yr olds
- Long bones of hands, femur, humerus but can occur anywhere on skeleton
- Mostly asymptomatic, but can present as pathological fracture
- 1% chance of malignant change, 5% chance if mulitple
Multiple enchondromas
- Ollier’s disease: non hereditary, multiple, metaphyses of long bones, limb deformity
- Maffucci syndrome: non hereditary, multiple associate with haemangiomas
Xray
- Well circumscribed oval lucency with intact cortex
- Metaphyseal ‘popcorn’
Management
- Asymptomatic and small - observed
- Large or symptomatic - curettage or bone grafting
Describe what a giant cell tumour is, most common age of presentation? Females or males more affected?
Where does it usually present?
How do they usually present? X ray finding?
Treatment?
Giant cell tumours arise from the multinucleated giant cells and stromal cells
- They are aggressive and potentially malignant
- Local recurrence and distant metastases
- Patients 20-30y
- More common in females, rare in children
- Usually affecting epiphyses of long bones (femur, proximal tibia, distal radius)
- Pain swelling limitation of joint movement
- Always get a biopsy
X ray
- Eccentric lytic areas giving ‘soap bubble’ appearance
Management
- Surgical resection potentially requiring bone grafting or reconstruction
- Curretage, washout, bone cement to fill the defect.
- Bisphosphonates
