Chondrosarcoma of the parapharyngeal space

Abstract

Chondrosarcoma is rarely found arising in the head and neck region. An unusual case arising in the parapharyngeal space in a male is reported and the differential diagnosis, pathology and treatment are discussed.

Chondrosarcoma of the parapharyngeal space

“…One of them was located to the mandibular condyl 4 , the other one was a nasopharyngeal tumor 6 and the third one was skull base chondrosarcoma 14 . All three exactly located and arising from the parapharyngeal space and these chondrosarcomas were high-grade tumors 7,11,17 and two of them 11,17 had had some kind of adjuvant therapy (radiotherapy or chemotherapy). Our case is apart from the others as being low-grade chondrosarcomas of this space and no adjuvant therapy was performed.…”

“…Our case was low-grade chondrosarcoma and for this reason wide excision without neck dissection was thought enough for surgical procedure. On the other hand, patients with high-grade chondrosarcomas usually need adjuvant therapy 1,6,7,11,17 .…”

“…Most of parapharyngeal tumors originates from salivary glands and neural elements 16,22 . Only a few cases of parapharyngeal space chondrosarcomas were reported in the literature, and none of them was low grade 4,6,7,11,14,17 . In this case report, a low-grade chondrosarcoma was reported.…”