PTH like substance secreting mesenchymal tumor causing oncogenic osteomalacia; unravelling the difficulties in...

Oncogenic osteomalacia is a rare paraneoplastic association of Phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor (PMT) secreting excessive levels of a PTH like substance. They usually remain undiagnosed and patients suffer for years. The rarity of this tumor and its non-specific clinical presentations poses great challenge to the treating surgeons. Its management is poorly described in literature. We report two of such rare cases without much diagnostic delay.

We had 2 cases; A 53-year-old south east Asian male with 6 months of debilitating pain over multiple sites, and another 44-year-old male patient with complaints of low back ache, and pain over both lower and upper limbs for 1.5 years. Both had low serum phosphorus and elevated FGF-23 values, but all other parameters were normal. A PMT was suspected and confirmed on a Ga⁶⁸- DOTATOC scan in both cases, and on complete excision, their symptoms and the altered blood parameters got normalized. Histology was consistent with PMT.

Accurate and timely diagnosis of a PMT with non-specific features are extremely challenging, but not without solutions. Even though a tumor of rarity, with the appropriate imaging modalities like Ga⁶⁸- DOTATOC scan, and estimation of FGF-23 and serum phosphorus levels, they can be diagnosed. Once identified, complete removal is often curative within a few months.