Journal of Oncology
Volume 2009 (2009), Article ID 876138, 4 pages
doi:10.1155/2009/876138
Case Report

Postirradiation Osteosarcoma of the Maxilla: A Case Report and Current Review of Literature

Imene Chabchoub,1 Olfa Gharbi,1 Sami Remadi,2 Sami Limem,1 Amel Trabelsi,1 Makrem Hochlef,1 Leila Ben Fatma,1 Amel Landolsi,1 Moncef Mokni,1 Chekib Kraiem,1 and Slim Ben Ahmed1

1Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Farhat Hached, Sousse 4000, Tunisia
2Department of Pathology, University of Medicine, Sousse, Leopard Senghor Street, Sousse 4000, Tunisia

Received 24 June 2008; Revised 30 October 2008; Accepted 16 March 2009

Academic Editor: Thomas R. Chauncey

Copyright © 2009 Imene Chabchoub et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Background. Radiation-induced sarcomas are well-known potential late sequelae of radiation therapy. They are of rare occurrence in jaw bones and are even rarer in the maxilla. Case report. We report a case of radiation-induced osteosarcoma involving the maxilla in a patient treated with radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma 14 years ago. Despite neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgical treatment could not be performed, and the patient received palliative chemotherapy. Conclusions. Radiation-induced osteosarcomas are aggressive and often elude early detection and timely intervention, rapidly leading to early demise of afflicted patients. Long-term patient follow-up and a high index of suspicion are crucial for timely intervention.