Tranexamic acid improves early postoperative mobilization in cancer patients undergoing endoprosthetic reconstruction.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Tranexamic acid (TXA) has been shown to decrease perioperative blood loss, transfusions, and cost in patients undergoing resection of aggressive bone tumors and endoprosthetic reconstruction. This study explored the effect of TXA administration on postoperative mobilization in these patients. METHODS: This study included 126 patients who underwent resection of an aggressive bone tumor and endoprosthetic reconstruction; 61 patients in the TXA cohort and 65 patients in the non-TXA cohort. Postoperative physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy notes were reviewed; patient ambulation distance and duration of therapies were recorded. RESULTS: Patients in the TXA cohort ambulated further on all postoperative days, which was significant on postoperative Day 1 (POD1) (p = 0.002) and postoperative Day 2 (POD2) (p < 0.001). The TXA cohort ambulated 85% further per PT session 87.7 versus 47.4 ft (p < 0.001) and participated 14% longer, 36.1 versus 31.7 min (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified a significant inverse association between postoperative hospitalization length and POD1, POD2, postoperative Day 3, and total ambulation (p < 0.001). Blood transfusion was independently associated with a 1.5 day increase in postoperative hospitalization (95% confidence interval: 0.64-2.5; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: TXA administration was associated with increased postoperative ambulation and endurance. Increased postoperative ambulation was associated with decreased length of stay and increased likelihood to discharge home.

Tranexamic Acid in Patients With Cancer Undergoing Endoprosthetic Reconstruction: A Cost Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Tranexamic acid (TXA) decreases blood loss, perioperative transfusion rates, and cost in total hip and total knee arthroplasty. In a previous study, topical TXA decreased both perioperative blood loss and transfusions in patients undergoing resection of aggressive bone tumors and endoprosthetic reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to explore the cost effectiveness of TXA in patients undergoing resection of an aggressive bone tumor and endoprosthetic reconstruction, assessing transfusion cost, TXA administration cost, postoperative hospitalization cost, posthospital disposition, and 30-day readmissions. METHODS: This study included 126 patients who underwent resection of an aggressive bone tumor and endoprosthetic resection at a single academic medical center; 61 patients in the TXA cohort and 65 patients in the non-TXA cohort. The cost of 1 unit of packed red blood cells, not including administration or complications, was estimated at our institution. The cost of hospitalization was estimated for lodging and basic care. The cost of TXA was $55 per patient. Patients were followed up for 30 days to identify hospital readmissions. RESULTS: Patients in the TXA cohort experienced a TXA and blood transfusion cost reduction of $155.88 per patient (P = 0.007). Proximal femur replacement patients experienced a $282.05 transfusion cost reduction (P = 0.008), whereas distal femur replacement patients only experienced a transfusion cost reduction of $32.64 (P = 0.43). An average hospital admission cost reduction of $5,072.23 per patient (P < 0.001) was associated with TXA use. Proximal femur replacement patients who received TXA experienced a hospital cost reduction of $5,728.38 (P < 0.001), whereas distal femur replacement patients experienced a reduction of $3,724.90 (P = 0.01). No differences between the cohorts were identified in discharge to home (P = 0.37) or readmissions (P = 0.77). DISCUSSION: TXA administration is cost effective in patients undergoing resection of an aggressive bone tumor and endoprosthetic reconstruction through reducing both perioperative transfusion rates and postoperative hospitalization. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III-Retrospective Cohort Study.

Reconstruction with Total Scapular Reverse Total Shoulder Endoprosthesis after Radical Tumor Excision.

Malignant musculoskeletal tumors about the shoulder girdle region involving the scapula are fairly rare, but when diagnosed, challenging and complex surgical treatment may be warranted with the primary goal of improving patient survival. These tumors are typically extensive and infiltrative at the time of presentation, requiring radical resection to achieve margins and obtain local tumor control. Historically, forequarter amputation or flail extremity were the mainstays of treatment in these cases. Presently, with recent advances in diagnostics, imaging, adjuvant therapies, and surgical treatment, many patients presenting with malignant tumors involving the scapula are candidates for limb salvage surgery. Reconstruction with endoprosthesis seems to have gained acceptance as the preferred surgical treatment for such lesions, as this intervention has resulted in improved postoperative function and cosmesis, with an acceptable complication rate. We present our experience with recent advancement in these surgical efforts in the form of shoulder girdle reconstruction with total scapular reverse total shoulder prosthesis after radical tumor excision.

The Ever-Changing World of Limb Salvage Surgery for Malignant Bone Tumors.

The treatment of malignant bone tumors, also called bone sarcomas, has changed dramatically over the past 50 years owing to the advances in chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation, prosthetic technology, and surgical advances. There are 3 main primary bone cancers: osteosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma (or Ewing's family of sarcoma), and chondrosarcoma. Before advances in limb preservation techniques and before the development of prosthetic replacement, the treatment for a malignant bone tumor of the extremity was amputation. This article discusses the progression of surgical treatment of malignant bone cancers.

Tranexamic Acid in Patients With Cancer Undergoing Endoprosthetic Reconstruction: A Retrospective Review.

INTRODUCTION: Endoprosthetic reconstruction presents a significant risk of perioperative blood loss. Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an antifibrinolytic agent used to reduce blood loss in orthopaedic procedures. The safety and efficacy of TXA in arthroplasty are well documented. There is, however, a dearth of literature exploring the safety and efficacy of TXA in musculoskeletal oncology patients. This retrospective, comparative study explores the effects of TXA on perioperative blood loss, blood transfusion rates, venous thromboembolism (VTE) occurrence, and hospital stay in patients undergoing resection of an aggressive bone tumor and endoprosthetic reconstruction. METHODS: For the study, charts from a total of 90 patients who underwent resection of an aggressive bone tumor and endoprosthetic reconstruction were reviewed; of these patients, 34 were in the TXA group and 56 in the non-TXA group. Study participants composed of a heterogeneous group of patients with primary bone sarcoma and metastatic osseous disease. Patients in the TXA group received 1 g of topical TXA administered into the wound bed before closure. The Hemoglobin Balance method was used to calculate blood loss. Patients were followed for 6 weeks. RESULTS: Patients undergoing proximal femur replacement and distal femur replacement in the TXA group experienced a 796 and 687 mL reduction in 72-hour mean blood loss, respectively (P = 0.0003 and P = 0.006). Average blood transfusions decreased by 0.45 U of packed red blood cells per patient in the TXA group (P = 0.048) and transfusion incidence decreased by 21.1% compared with the non-TXA group (P = 0.04). Patients undergoing proximal femur replacement in the TXA group left the hospital 2.2 days earlier than those in the non-TXA group (P = 0.0004). No increase in VTE rate was observed with TXA use. DISCUSSION: This study found results similar to total joint arthroplasty with regard to TXA's effect on perioperative blood loss, transfusion rates, hospital stay, and VTE occurrence. It provides initial data to support the efficacy of topical TXA use in this patient cohort. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective cohort study.

In silico and in vitro drug screening identifies new therapeutic approaches for Ewing sarcoma.

The long-term overall survival of Ewing sarcoma (EWS) patients remains poor; less than 30% of patients with metastatic or recurrent disease survive despite aggressive combinations of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. To identify new therapeutic options, we employed a multi-pronged approach using in silico predictions of drug activity via an integrated bioinformatics approach in parallel with an in vitro screen of FDA-approved drugs. Twenty-seven drugs and forty-six drugs were identified, respectively, to have anti-proliferative effects for EWS, including several classes of drugs in both screening approaches. Among these drugs, 30 were extensively validated as mono-therapeutic agents and 9 in 14 various combinations in vitro. Two drugs, auranofin, a thioredoxin reductase inhibitor, and ganetespib, an HSP90 inhibitor, were predicted to have anti-cancer activities in silico and were confirmed active across a panel of genetically diverse EWS cells. When given in combination, the survival rate in vivo was superior compared to auranofin or ganetespib alone. Importantly, extensive formulations, dose tolerance, and pharmacokinetics studies demonstrated that auranofin requires alternative delivery routes to achieve therapeutically effective levels of the gold compound. These combined screening approaches provide a rapid means to identify new treatment options for patients with a rare and often-fatal disease.

Bilateral deltoid myositis ossificans in a weightlifter using anabolic steroids.

A 40-year-old male weightlifter presented with a 6-month history of a painless mass in the right deltoid. He had no history of trauma to the shoulder other than an arthroscopic rotator cuff repair a few weeks earlier. Physical examination showed a firm, nontender mass located longitudinally and coinciding with the deltoid, measuring 12×14×4 cm. There was no limitation in range of motion or functioning. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans suggested a lobulated, heterogeneous mass with multiple areas of calcification that raised suspicion for soft tissue sarcoma vs myositis ossificans. Marginal resection of the soft tissue mass was performed, and pathologic studies confirmed the diagnosis of xanthogranulomatous myositis ossificans with dystrophic calcifications and central cystic degeneration. At 2-week follow-up, the patient had improved range of motion and pain, but he noted a second soft tissue mass in the left deltoid. The MRI and CT scans showed a 10.5×16×3.4-cm linear, lobulated lesion with multiple calcifications, similar in appearance to the contralateral deltoid. The patient admitted to frequently injecting anabolic steroids into his deltoids. Because the patient was asymptomatic on the left side and the MRI appearance of the left deltoid mass was similar to that of the myositis ossificans seen on the right side, the patient opted for nonsurgical treatment. This is a rare case of myositis ossificans occurring bilaterally in the deltoids after repeated injections of anabolic steroids. There is currently no known association between anabolic steroids and myositis ossificans. This condition often mimics malignant neoplasms, illustrating the necessity of resection for diagnostic confirmation.

Atypical intradermal smooth muscle neoplasms (formerly cutaneous leiomyosarcomas): case series, immunohistochemical profile and review of the literature.

Atypical intradermal smooth muscle neoplasms (AISMN, formerly known as cutaneous leiomyosarcomas) are uncommon neoplasms, which seem to be remarkable for their excellent prognosis in contrast to their deeper counterparts. The rarity of AISMN has posed a challenge for characterizing the morphologic spectrum, immunohistochemical staining pattern, and behavior. In this study we evaluated the histologic and immunohistochemical features of 20 cases of AISMN. Clinical follow-up was available on 19 out of 20 patients and ranged from 1 to 124 months with an average of 35 months and a median of 20 months with a male predominance (male to female ratio was 2.3:1). Our data show a wide variation in differentiation and atypical features. Among these, the presence of mitotic figures is diagnostically valuable in rendering the final diagnosis. A broad panel of immunohistochemical stains revealed that smooth muscle actin and muscle specific actin, when used in combination, identified smooth muscle differentiation in 100% of the cases. With some caveats, CD34, S100, and CK 5/6 were helpful in ruling out other important cutaneous spindle cell neoplasms. Significantly, loss of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) staining was seen in the majority of our cases (80%), supporting a role for PTEN loss in the etiology of these lesions. Logistic regression analysis revealed that positive margin status was helpful for predicting recurrence (100% sensitivity and 94% specificity). We conclude that AISMN can have significant morphologic variation and overlap with other spindle cell neoplasms of the skin and that a limited panel of key immunohistochemical stains should be used to distinguish this lesion. The different surgical measures such as wide excision versus Mohs procedure showed a similar clinical outcome. Although the significance of frequent PTEN loss supports a molecular mechanism of tumor genesis, the diagnostic utility of the stain remains to be determined.

Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor correlates with the advance of clinical osteosarcoma.

PURPOSE: Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignancy in orthopaedic surgery. Studies suggest that expression of VEGF and high vascularity within osteosarcoma may correlate with poor prognosis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was a correlation of VEGF expression with clinical tumour stage and metastasis. METHODS: This retrospective case series examined 54 cases of osteosarcoma patients who were treated during a ten-year period. Relevant clinical information included age, gender, tumour location, stage, adjuvant therapy, morbidity, mortality, and tumour subtypes. The clinical information was analysed for correlation of VEGF expression and tumour prognosis. Tumour sections were examined by routine H&E and by immunohistochemistry for VEGF, CD31, and the oncogenes c-myc and c-fos. RESULTS: There was a significantly positive correlation between VEGF expression and tumour stages among these cases (p < 0.01). The data also suggested a higher cancer recurrence and more frequent cases of remote metastasis in the high-VEGF group compared to the low-VEGF group. VEGF expression also positively associated with c-fos and c-myc expressions in the primary tumour sections. CONCLUSION: The results of this study highlight the role of VEGF in angiogenesis and tumour burden. Data also suggest the influence of VEGF may associate with the elevations of c-fos and c-myc expression. The development of novel therapies to target the VEGF pathway in osteosarcoma may lead to improved survival.

Aggressive squamous cell carcinoma originating as a Marjolin's ulcer.

BACKGROUND: Marjolin's ulcer is an epidermoid carcinoma arising in a scar or chronic wound and can have an aggressive course. OBJECTIVE: To present a case of squamous cell carcinoma arising in a burn scar with resulting metastases and to discuss Marjolin's ulcer. RESULTS: The patient continued to have further metastatic disease despite aggressive surgical treatment. CONCLUSION: In following patients with chronic ulcers and wounds, it is important to evaluate any changes immediately with biopsies and further imaging studies if indicated in order to treat effectively. Even aggressive surgical intervention will sometimes be inadequate in treating these tumors.