Post-radiation osteosarcoma of the scapula

Abstract

 Osteosarcomas arising in irradiated tissues are uncommon but important complications of radiotherapy. Radiation-induced osteosarcomas generally occur 3–30 years after exposure and are most common after radiotherapy for cervical or breast carcinoma. These tumors are usually rapidly growing, extremely painful, and histologically high grade. In this paper, we report two cases of high-grade post-radiation osteosarcoma of the scapula. Despite being almost identical radiologically and pathologically, one case had a typical clinical presentation whereas the second case had two unusual features, being non-painful and arising in a field initially irradiated for bronchogenic carcinoma.