Osteosarcoma of the jaws: case report on synchronous multicentric osteosarcomas

Research has shown that osteosarcomas display high potential for metastasis to the lungs, pleurae and bones. Mandible, on the other hand, is an uncommon site for metastatic tumour cell colonization. Nevertheless, a metastatic tumour to mandible might be the first indication of an undiscovered malignancy at a distant site. This case report presents a case of a 61-year-old female patient. An osteosarcoma metastasized to her mandible shortly after the curettage of her jaw cyst. Both the metastatic osteosarcoma and the jaw cyst were confirmed by pathology. Initially, bilateral well-defined radiolucent lesions were shown in her panoramic X-ray image. Also, the diagnosis of a dentigerous cyst was made, based on histology. Two months later, a mixed radiolucent-radio opaque mass, which was confirmed as an osteosarcoma by pathology later, occupied the site of the previously enucleated dentigerous cyst, in her right mandible. Then, an identical osteosarcoma was found in the left pelvis on further doing overall radiological and pathological examinations. The pathologic hypotheses, treatment modality and follow-up of this case have also been presented.