CHONDROSARCOMA OF THE TEMPORAL BONE AND OTOSCLEROSIS

Chondrosarcoma constitutes 6% of all primary bone tumors and 11% of ma lignant primary bone tumors. Nevertheless, in a review of the tumor re gistry of the University of Michigan covering a period of 50 years, th ere were only 3 cases involving the temporal bone. A case of a woman w ith a chondrosarcoma of the temporal bone that was partially resected by means of an infratemporal approach at the skull base is presented. This patient had previously undergone surgical treatment for otosclero sis of the other ear. Several considerations regarding survival factor s in this type of tumor are dealt with in terms of the histological fe atures, therapeutic options and anatomic location. The possibility tha t this lesion may originate from the persistence of the cartilaginous inclusions that some authors consider to be involved in the origin of otosclerosis is discussed.