METASTASIS OF CHONDROSARCOMA

This study was undertaken to analyse metastases of patients with inter mediate- or high-grade chondrosarcomas. Out of 24 intermediate-grade t umours, 5 (21%) developed metastases, as did 6 of 10 high-grade tumour s (60%) (P = 0.04). Four patients developed pulmonary metastasis only, 5 developed both pulmonary metastases and metastases of the other sit es. Two patients showed a rare metastatic pattern: bone metastases onl y. The metastasis rate in the primary chondrosarcoma (42%) was higher than that in the secondary chondrosarcomas (0%) (P = 0.03). The metast asis rate was higher in patients with local recurrence (86%) than in t hose without local recurrence (19%) (P = 0.01). In 5 of 6 patients who had a local relapse and metastasis, the interval. between the two rel apses was a few months.