Soft Tissue Sarcomas Mimicking Benign Inflammatory Processes: A Diagnostic Dilemma

Soft tissue sarcomas are rare and often go undetected until a later stage, particularly when they present as intra-articular or tenosynovial lesions mimicking benign synovial pathologies. The failure to distinguish between malignant and benign synovial disease can have a significant impact on patien...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Mediterranean journal of rheumatology 2023-12, Vol.34 (4), p.531
Main Authors: Furtado, Cleofina, Zeitoun, Rania, Wilkes, Jonathan, Sumathi, Vaiyapuri, Tony, George
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amputation
Biopsy
Chemotherapy
Knee
Magnetic resonance imaging
Pain
Pathology
Sarcoma
Ultrasonic imaging
X-rays
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Summary:Soft tissue sarcomas are rare and often go undetected until a later stage, particularly when they present as intra-articular or tenosynovial lesions mimicking benign synovial pathologies. The failure to distinguish between malignant and benign synovial disease can have a significant impact on patient outcomes and limit alternatives for local control surgery and limb salvage. In this case series, we present two cases of soft tissue sarcomas, one being an intraarticular synovial chondrosarcoma, and the other a pleomorphic spindle cell sarcoma centred along tendon sheaths. Radiologically, the initial clinical presentation of these cases resembled benign synovial pathologies, leading to a delay in diagnosis and treatment. Our study underscores the importance of maintaining a low threshold of suspicion for surveillance, a multidisciplinary approach, and early histological diagnosis to ensure appropriate timely treatment and a favourable prognosis for patients with soft tissue sarcomas.
ISSN:2529-198X
2529-198X
DOI:10.31138/mjr.270823.sts