Chondrosarcoma. I. A selected literature review

Abstract

More than 200 articles and texts relating to Chondrosarcoma in the general skeleton, in the head and neck area, and in extraskeletal soft tissues, were reviewed and summarized. In the interest of space conservation and avoidance to the extent possible, of distracting referential interjections in the text, the entire list of materials reviewed has not been referenced. For example, articles that contribute essentially nothing more than single case reports are not included in the list of references. Effort has been made, however, to include articles of historical significance, articles reporting series of cases, and articles exploring ideas and concepts. The authors believe this review to be a comprehensive summary of the Chondrosarcoma literature. An analysis of 37 cases of Chondrosarcoma of the jaws will be published as Part II.

Primary chondrosarcoma of long bones and limb girdles

“…Second, we excluded from this study the following chondrosarcoma variants, each with its own distinct demographic, clinical, pathologic, and prognostic profile: dedifferentiated, 8 -10 clear cell, [11][12][13] and mesenchymal 14 -16 chondrosarcoma. Third, chondrosarcomas of the craniofacial bones, ribs, sternum, spine, and small bones of the hands and feet present unique problems in diagnosis and especially in treatment 3,17,18 because of their location, thus precluding meaningful comparison with tumors arising in long bones and the shoulder and pelvic girdles. Finally, we restricted survival analysis to the 233 patients who received their initial treatment at the Mayo Clinic.…”

“…Chondrosarcomas of the cranium, spine, ribs, sternum, and small bones of the hands and feet present special problems in diagnosis and particularly in treatment, and are therefore not included in this analysis. 3,17,18 Recognizing the slow evolution of chondrosarcomas, we analyzed only those tumors with available follow-up of at least 5 years.…”

National cancer database report on chondrosarcoma of the head and neck

“…3 The cause of chondrosarcoma remains unclear. The theory that trauma is a causative factor has been discarded by most investigators.…”

Chondrosarcoma in the mental foramen region of the mandible: A case report

“…Chondrosarcomas have been widely reported in the literature and may arise in any region where cartilage is present (2). In total, 5-12% of chondrosarcomas occur in the head and neck region, accounting for 5-10% of all bone neoplasms occurring in this location; the larynx and maxillo-nasal region are the most common sites for chondrosarcomas to originate (3).…”