glycogen and Chondroblastoma

The ultrastructure of 5 cases of primary aneurysmal bone cysts is described. The most frequent cells found are fibroblasts containing varying amounts of glycogen. Primitive mesenchymal cells in different stages of differentiation are seen. The foci of osteoid and bone originate through metaplastic changes of the spindle cell stroma. We feel that the fibroblastic proliferation and bone formation are manifestations of a reactive process. The giant cells are similar to those of other giant cell lesions of bone. A case of cystic chondroblastoma with secondary aneurysmal bone cyst features was studied. It shows, in addition to chondroblastoma cells, elongated cells similar to the reactive fibroblasts of primary aneurysmal bone cyst. We feel that aneurysmal bone cyst is a benign non-neoplastic condition that can develop in bone as a primary bone lesion; it may also be associated with a pre-neoplastic condition that can develop in bone as a primary bone lesion; it may also be associated with a pre-existing bone condition, and occasionally develops following trauma with subperiosteal hematoma.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Bone Cysts; Cell Nucleus; Child; Chondroblastoma; Female; Fibroblasts; Glycogen; Humans; Infant; Male; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary; Osteoblasts; Osteocytes

The authors report five cases treated by wide resection. Pathological studies were made of the whole of the lesion. Three tumours were situated at the upper end of the femur, one at the upper end of the humerus and one at the level of the tibial plateau. The specific features were localisation in an epiphysis and histological areas of clear cells whose cytoplasm contained glycogen. From the anatomical and radiological points of view, these tumours were like chondroblastomata but their progress was more like that of chondrosarcomata. The author concludes that they should be distinguished from both types of tumour.

Topics: Adult; Bone Neoplasms; Chondroblastoma; Chondrosarcoma; Diagnosis, Differential; Epiphyses; Female; Femoral Neoplasms; Glycogen; Humans; Humerus; Male; Microscopy, Electron; Middle Aged; Osteogenesis; Radiography; Tibia

Cytologic and cytochemical examination of eighteen cases of round-cell sarcoma of bone allowed classification of these tumors into four cytologic groups. Additional cytochemical examinations based on the PAS and D-PAS reactions, and the demonstration of the activity of peroxidase, naphtol-ASD-Chloracetate esterase, alpha-naphthylacetate esterase, naphthol-AS-acetate esterase with and without sodium fluoride inhibition, acid and alkaline phosphatases yielded no evidence of uniform behavior among the individual groups or within any single group. The studies showed that a positive glycogen reaction cannot be used as a basic criterion for the classification of such tumors as Ewing's sarcoma and for regarding them as a uniform tumor group. It is possible that a pool of tumors is involved, including tumors of monocytic and probably of lymphocytic origin, reticulum-cell sarcoma, tumors of myelocytic and erythroplastic origin, stem-cell tumors, and endothelial-cell tumors. Histologic examination alone is not sufficient for the classification of round-cell sarcomas of bone, and it should be supplemented by cytologic and cytochemical or histochemical methods. Osteosarcomas (23 cases) and chondrosarcomas (8 cases) display cells which are characteristic for these tumors and which could be correlated with their benign counterparts, osteoblasts and chondroid cells. The histologically recognizable degree of malignancy of chondrosarcoma can be evaluated better with the cytologic than with the histologic technic. Indications of the possibilities of differential diagnosis based on the cytologic pictures of benign and malignant osteoplastic and chondroplastic tumors, giant-cell tumors and chordoma are discussed.

Topics: Adolescent; Bone Neoplasms; Cell Nucleolus; Cell Nucleus; Child; Chondroblastoma; Chondroma; Chondrosarcoma; Chordoma; Cytoplasm; Female; Giant Cell Tumors; Glycogen; Humans; Infant; Male; Naphthol AS D Esterase; Osteosarcoma; Periodic Acid-Schiff Reaction; Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; Sarcoma; Sarcoma, Ewing