Chondrosarcoma in Childhood: The Radiologic and Clinical Conundrum

Abstract

Less than 10% of chondrosarcomas occur in children. In addition, as little as 0.5% of low-grade chondrosarcomas arise secondarily from benign chondroid lesions. The presence of focal pain is often used to crudely distinguish a chondrosarcoma (which is usually managed with wide surgical excision), from a benign chondroid lesion (which can be followed by clinical exams and imaging surveillance). Given the difficulty of localizing pain in the pediatric population, initial radiology findings and short-interval follow-up, both imaging and clinical, are critical to accurately differentiate a chondrosarcoma from a benign chondroid lesion. To our knowledge, no case in the literature discusses a chondrosarcoma possibly arising secondarily from an enchondroma in a pediatric patient. We present a clinicopathologic and radiology review of conventional chondrosarcomas. We also attempt to further the understanding of how to manage a chondroid lesion in the pediatric patient with only vague or bilateral complaints of pain.

Antitumor effect of resveratrol on chondrosarcoma cells via phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways

“…Surgical resection is the most successful method to treat chondrosarcoma. As the effects of adjuvant treatments, such as proton beam radiation and chemotherapy are limited, the prognosis of patients with chondrosarcoma remains poor (1,2). Therefore, the identification of novel preventive drugs of chondrosarcoma is urgently required.…”

“…Chondrosarcoma is one of the most common types of primary bone cancer that develops in cartilage cells (1). Surgical resection is the most successful method to treat chondrosarcoma.…”

Analysis of imaging characteristics of primary malignant bone tumors in children

“…The majority of these tumors are primary low-grade chondrosarcomas. As little as 0.5% of low-grade chondrosarcomas arise secondarily from benign chondroid lesions ( 22 ). Chondrosarcomas are most commonly located in the femur, pelvis or shoulder, and originate from the proximal femur in one-third of cases.…”

“…Chondrosarcomas are most commonly located in the femur, pelvis or shoulder, and originate from the proximal femur in one-third of cases. Approximately 50% are located at the metaphysis, 35% at the diaphysis and 15% at the epiphysis ( 22 ).…”

Chondrosarcoma presenting with pulmonary embolism in a 9-year-old girl: a case report

“…2 In the scant published cases of children and young adults with primary chondrosarcoma, the tumours have been found to be highly aggressive. 4 In patients with tumour emboli, treatment should include embolectomy and wide en bloc excision of the primary tumour. Prognosis is directly related to primary tumour removal.…”