Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 18, 2026
Three-Dimensional Bone Extracellular Matrix Model for Osteosarcoma
Published on: April 12, 2019
Primary extraskeletal pleural osteosarcoma: a rare pleural identity.
Hannah Copeland1, Peter B Makdisi1, Michael Duncan1
11 Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA ; 2 Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota, USA ; 3 Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA ; 4 Gulf Coast Cardiothoracic Surgery Institute, Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA.
A heart transplant patient developed a recurrent left chest mass. Surgical resection revealed a high-grade osteosarcoma, a rare primary bone cancer.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Oncology
- Thoracic Surgery
Background:
- A 69-year-old female with a 16-year history of heart transplantation presented with a significant left chest mass.
- The patient reported substantial weight loss and progressive shortness of breath.
Observation:
- Initial imaging revealed a large, complex cystic mass in the left chest.
- CT-guided aspiration cytology was negative for malignancy.
- Despite initial negative findings, a recurrence of the pleural mass was observed three months later.
Findings:
- The recurrent mass required surgical exploration via video-assisted thoracotomy and subsequent thoracotomy for complete resection.
- Final pathology confirmed the mass as a high-grade osteosarcoma.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of considering rare malignancies in transplant recipients with unexplained masses.
- Osteosarcoma, typically a bone tumor, can rarely present as a primary extraskeletal or pleural mass.
- Multidisciplinary management is crucial for diagnosis and treatment of such complex cases.
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