Living with a tumor: A case of osteosarcoma involving the medullary region in Phrynops cf. P. geoffroanus (Testudines: Chelidae)

Abstract

The individual Geoffroy's side‐necked turtle, Phrynops cf. P. geoffroanus, was diagnosed postmortem with osteosarcoma associated with the forelimb through morphological and histological analysis. Osteosarcoma stands as the most prevalent primary malignant bone tumor in tetrapods. The tumor presents itself as a large mass in the distal epiphysis, characterized by spicular outgrowths and a rugose external texture. Histologically, the afflicted humerus displayed a high degree of vascularity and exhibited an extensive bone resorption process involving the medullary and endosteal regions. Notably, a clear transition between the bone marrow and cortical bone was absent, indicative of a remodeling process featuring Haversian bone system apposition. Additionally, the diaphyseal region displayed the progression of neoplastic bone tissue along the bone. For comparative purposes, we describe a humeral thin section from a healthy specimen revealing compact primary bone interrupted by cyclical growth marks which differs from the continuous growth observed in the neoplastic humerus. To assess the neoplastic bone growth rate at the mid‐diaphysis level, phylogenetic eigenvector maps (PEM) were employed, utilizing osteocyte density and vascular density as explanatory variables. The findings indicated that the osteosarcoma exhibited a slow‐growing nature, suggesting that the turtle had to live with this condition for years. As the neoplasia continued to expand, it likely led to disadvantages for the pathological Phrynops individual due to humeral deformity. Furthermore, malignancy was associated with angiogenesis and the invasion of the medullary region by neoplastic bone tissue, raising the likelihood of metastasis as an additional factor contributing to the individual's sickness. The presence of numerous vascular canals in the diaphyseal thin section suggested a low‐grade central osteosarcoma. It is worth noting that osseous neoplasms are rarely documented in Testudines, making this case of osteosarcoma in a South American freshwater chelid specimen a unique and rare occurrence.