Chondrosarcoma

Chondrosarcoma is a type of cancer that arises in the cartilage cells. It's the second most common type of primary bone malignancy, following osteosarcoma. The management and prognosis of chondrosarcoma differ significantly from other bone sarcomas and depend on its grade.

Metastatic chondrosarcoma at the lower lip

Atlas of clinical surgery; with special reference to diagnosis and treatment for practitioners and students (1908) (14581604148)

Classification

Chondrosarcomas can be classified into several subtypes:

• Primary Chondrosarcoma
  • Conventional
    • Grade I
    • Grade II
    • Grade III
  • Dedifferentiated
  • Mesenchymal
  • Clear cell
• Secondary Chondrosarcoma
  • Arising from osteochondroma

Etiology

The exact cause is unknown, but several risk factors have been identified:

• Previous radiation exposure
• Ollier disease and Maffucci syndrome (enchondromatosis)
• Multiple exostoses
• Pre-existing benign cartilage lesions

Clinical Presentation

Patients with chondrosarcoma typically present with:

• Pain, which is often insidious in onset and gradually worsening
• Swelling or palpable mass
• Pathological fracture (rarely)

Diagnosis

Imaging plays a crucial role in diagnosis:

• X-ray: Typically shows a lytic lesion with stippled, calcified matrix
• MRI and CT scan: Useful in defining the extent of the tumor
• Biopsy: Necessary to confirm the diagnosis and grade

Treatment

The mainstay of treatment is surgery. Chondrosarcoma is usually resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The type and extent of surgery depend on the grade:

• Low-grade tumors (Grade I): Wide local excision
• High-grade tumors (Grade II and III): En bloc resection with negative margins

Prognosis

• Low-grade chondrosarcomas have a favorable prognosis with a 10-year survival rate of about 90%.
• High-grade tumors have a poorer prognosis, with a 10-year survival rate of 40-60%.

See Also

• Bone tumors
• Sarcoma
• Osteosarcoma

Chondrosarcoma Resources
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