Paleopathological study on a case of osteosarcoma.

This report concerns a probable case of osteosarcoma found in a precontact Hawaiian skeleton from the east coast of Oahu Island, Hawaii. A young adult female showed a tumorous bone proliferation with a coarse, corallike appearance at the distal metaphyseal area of the left femur. In gross observation, a profusion of coalescing bone was extended to the surrounding space and also invaded the marrow space. X-ray films revealed spotted and ringed shadows in the shaft and a "sunburst appearance" in the lesion. Histological examination of the tumor bone fragment showed a great deal of primitive bone tissue formation without any systemic Haversian structure. The diagnosis of osteogenic osteosarcoma is much more compatible than other primary malignant bone tumors such as Ewing's sarcoma, fibrosarcoma, and chondrosarcoma or osteoplastic metastatic carcinoma of the bone when the location and morphology of the tumor are considered along with the age of the decedent.