An Uncommon Presentation of Osteosarcoma in a Child: A Case Report

Abstract

Introduction: Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone tumor in childhood distinguished by its clinical aspects, epidemiological features, and radiological and histological findings. Around 10% of patients present with distant metastasis at the most frequent sites, which are lungs and bone. Furthermore, death rates for osteosarcoma have been declining by about 1.3% per year.

Case report: We report the case of a 12-year-old child who presented to the emergency department with a large thigh hematoma, and after running all the necessary clinical investigations, it turned out to be secondary to femoral osteosarcoma.

Conclusion: In this case, our aim is to highlight the unusual clinical manifestations observed in a child with osteosarcoma, which can lead to a diagnosis delay and the subsequent impact on prognosis.

Keywords: Osteosarcoma; diagnostic delay; fracture; hematoma; swelling.

Figure 1

Initial X-ray showing distal shaft femur fracture, without any suspicious lesion.

Figure 2

Follow-up X-ray after elastic stable intramedullary nailing.

Figure 3

Giant swelling of the thigh.

Figure 4

Anarchic bone callus with periosteal reaction.