PRIMARY CHONDROSARCOMA OF LONG BONES AND LIMB GIRDLES

BACKGROUND. Chondrosarcomas are common solid malignant tumors of bone, second in incidence only to osteosarcomas. The biologic evolution of chondrosarcomas is slow, requiring long follow-up intervals for meanin gful survival analysis. METHODS. This study describes the clinicopatho logic profiles of 344 patients, 194 male and 150 female (M:F, 1.3:1.0) , with primary chondrosarcoma of long bones and limb girdles seen at 1 institution over a period of 80 years. RESULTS. The average age at pr esentation was 46 years (range, 5-82 years). The pelvis was the most c ommon location (1.7% of all patients). Local pain was the most frequen tly reported initial symptom (81.4%). Survival analysis was limited to 233 patients whose primary treatment was given at the Mayo Clinic. Al l 233 patients had potential follow-up of at least 5 years. The overal l 5-year survival rate was 77% (the expected rate was 96%). Local recu rrence developed in 19.7% of patients and metastatic lesions in 13.7%. The recurrence rate was higher for tumors of the shoulder and pelvis than for tumors of long bones. Radiographically, chondrosarcomas had a characteristic appearance, including a combination of bone expansion and cortical thickening. Entering the tumor at surgery increased the r isk of local recurrence. Histologic tumor grade was an important predi ctor of local recurrence and metastasis. CONCLUSIONS. With adequate in itial surgical intervention, chondrosarcoma is primarily a local disea se with a low metastatic rate. Cancer 1998;83:2105-19. (C) 1998 Americ an Cancer Society.