CUTANEOUS METASTASIS OF AN OSTEOSARCOMA - A CASE-REPORT

Sarcomas seldom metastasize to the skin. This report describes a rare instance of this phenomenon. A 24-year-old patient with a history of o steosarcoma (osteoblastic type) of the right humerus was seen with a c utaneous nodule on the left temple. Histologic examination of the skin showed the lesion to be a metastatic osteosarcoma. On histologic exam ination, a proliferation of bizarre mononucleated or multinucleated os teoblastic cells was noted in the dermis and subcutis. Although osteoi d formation and calcification were not recognized, as they had been in contrast to the primary lesion, basic structures and components of th e skin lesion were identical to those of the primary tumor tissue. Cut aneous metastasis from an osteosarcoma of bone is an extraordinarily r are event and, as far as we can determine, has only been reported thre e times.