Professional
Technical
In the Industry Vocabulary Test
osteosarcoma
Pronunciation: OS-tee-oh-sar-KOH-mah
Primary malignant bone tumor that may affect the jaws.
Full Definition
Osteosarcoma is a primary malignant bone tumor characterized by the production of osteoid or immature bone by malignant cells. While rare in the jaws compared to the long bones, maxillofacial osteosarcoma requires prompt diagnosis and aggressive treatment including wide surgical excision, often followed by reconstruction and adjuvant therapy.
In Context
- "Histopathological examination confirmed osteosarcoma of the mandible." — pathology report
- "Wide resection margins are essential when treating maxillofacial osteosarcoma." — surgical guideline
Also known as
osteogenic sarcoma
Don't confuse with
chondrosarcoma
fibrosarcoma
giant cell tumor