Malignant hemangioendothelioma of bone.

The clinical and histopathological characteristics are described in seven cases of malignant hemangioendothelioma of bone. This rare neoplasm affects all age groups and almost any bone. Metastases appear in the skeleton even before such lesions are seen on pulmonary roentgenograms. Prognosis is poor, with a five-year survival for only two of the six patients in this series. One patient is still alive and free of symptoms more than twelve years after diagnosis of widespread tumor destruction of the frontal skull bones, which was successfully controlled by radiation therapy. In addition, a recently diagnosed case of this tumor arising in a chronic non-fistulous osteomyelitic bone is described.