MYXOID CHONDROSARCOMA OF SOFT-TISSUE AND BONE - A RETROSPECTIVE STUDYOF 11 CASES

This article describes 11 cases of myxoid chondrosarcoma (MCS), with 1 0 arising in soft tissues and one developing in bone. Most of the tumo rs (six) were located in the lower extremities. Two lesions developed in the fingers, a previously unreported location for MCS. Four cases s howed secondary bone destruction, which is a rare feature of this tumo r. 2100 protein was expressed by tumor cells in all the specimens. Fou r out of eight tumors studied by electron microscopy contained intraci sternal microtubular structures. Two tumors showed areas of spindle ce ll proliferation that merged with the areas of typical myxoid pattern. The cells in these areas had fibroblastic/myofibroblastic features by electron microscopy and were found to express cytokeratin by immunohi stochemistry. The concomitant expression of cytokeratin and 2100 prote in in the spindle cells suggests that they represent a less differenti ated cartilaginous component with unusual features. The clinical signi ficance of the presence of such spindle cell areas presently remains u nknown. Although myxoid chondrosarcoma is a slow-growing tumor, it has a high potential for metastases. Four of 11 patients in this series d eveloped metastases. Copyright (C) 1995 by W.B. Saunders Company