Heterotopic ossification in rectal cancer: Rare finding with a novel proposed mechanism

The rare finding of heterotopic ossification in a case of primary rectal adenocarcinoma is described along with a review of the literature. Immunohistochemistry for a bone morphogenic protein (BMP‐2) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF‐2), both of which induce and stimulate bone formation, was performed and revealed overexpression of BMP‐2 by the tumor cells, elucidating a possible mechanism which up to now had been based merely on speculation. J. Surg. Oncol. 2003;82:132–136. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.