Juxtacortical Osteosarcoma: Clinical Evolution and Dedifferentiation Related Factors

Objective: Evaluate risk factors related to clinical evolution and dedifferentiation of parosteal (juxtacortical) osteosarcoma to high-grade osteosarcoma. Methods: Retrospective cohort study performed over a period of 25 years, using data from medical records of patients diagnosed with parosteal osteosarcoma. The data were submitted to statistical analysis by Fisher's exact test and Student's t-test. Results: Of the 326 patients treated for osteosarcoma, we identified 17 patients diagnosed with parosteal osteosarcoma. Of these, 4 (23.5%) were not actually diagnosed with parosteal osteosarcoma and 4 did not have the minimum data required for analysis, being excluded from the study. Of the 9 patients studied, we observed that 3 (33.3%) evolved with tumor dedifferentiation to high-grade osteosarcoma. Moreover, 2 (66.7%) had local recurrence and 2 (66.7%) metastases. Conclusion: Age, sex, and the tumor size were not directly related to the dedifferentiation from parosteal osteosarcoma to high-grade osteosarcoma. The most aggressive clinical evolution - presence of local recurrences and metastasis - in parosteal osteosarcoma occurred in tumors with dedifferentiation, however, we cannot associate each other as cause and effect, but as related factors.