Low-Grade Chondrosarcomas: Diagnosis and Treatment

Abstract

Background: Multiple parameters are needed to distinguish between enchondroma and low-grade chondrosarcoma (LGCS). This study aimed to investigate the diagnosis, surgery type according to bone type, recurrence rates, and complications of LGCS in the appendicular and axial skeletons. Methods: A total of 52 surgically treated patients with LGCS, between March 2007 and May 2019, were retrospectively examined. Following diagnosis, the patients were operated on with intralesional curettage for long bones or wide local excision (WLE) for axial bones. The retrieved data included demographics, tumor location, surgical treatment type, local adjuvants, complications, and Musculoskeletal Tumor Society scores.Results: The final cohort included 52 patients (52 tumors; 35 female and 17 male). The male:female ratio was 1:2. The mean age was 44 ± 17 years. Forty of the tumors were treated with intralesional procedures (all with a high-speed burr and phenol), 6 with autograft, 8 with allograft, and 28 with cement augmentation, while 7 were treated with WLE.Conclusions: The use of phenol as an adjuvant may reduce recurrence rates. Using a putty graft alone may result in nonunion. Applying a thin layer of putty on the cementum can create callus tissue on the cementum. Even in the upper limb, plate and screw fixation should be used to prevent fractures in metaphyseal–diaphyseal curettages.