Chondrosarcoma

What Is Chondrosarcoma?

Chondrosarcoma is a malignant tumor that develops from cartilage tissue and can also form cartilage itself. Chondrosarcoma is the second most common bone cancer and typically occurs in adulthood.

Causes, Symptoms & Localization

The cause of chondrosarcoma is the subject of current research. In some cases, chondrosarcoma occurs as a long-term consequence after radiation therapy, which was carried out for a different malignant tumor disease beforehand. Chondrosarcoma grows slowly and therefore causes symptoms only at a late stage. Thus, the disease can often be diagnosed late. This tumor frequently occurs in the pelvic bone, femur and less frequently in the ribs or humerus. Affected patients feel pain at rest in the tumor region. Swelling or limitation of mobility may also develop.

How Is Chondrosarcoma Diagnosed?

If chondrosarcoma is suspected, various examinations are necessary. These include a physical exam, laboratory tests, diagnostic radiology, and imaging studies. Computed tomography (CT) can show bone structures well, while magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shows soft tissue well. However, a definitive diagnosis can only be made after a tissue sample has been taken and examined histologically. This allows the characteristics and malignancy of the chondrosarcoma to be determined.

Treatment Options

The critical treatment option is the surgical removal of the tumor. The effectiveness of other therapies such as radiation or chemotherapy has not yet been proven. However, in individual cases with advanced tumor stages, these forms of treatment can be used before or after surgery. In particular, the use of proton radiation as a therapeutic option can be evaluated individually.

Chances of Cure & Prognosis

The prognosis depends on many different factors, including the patient’s age, the size, location, spread of the tumor, and the possibility of surgical removal. The most critical aspects are complete removal without microscopic tumor remnants and excluding metastases in other organs. The 5-year survival rate is approximately 50%.

Which Doctors and Clinics Are Specialized in Diagnosing and Treating Chondrosarcoma?

If chondrosarcoma is suspected, the patient should be referred to a tumor center specialized in malignant bone tumors for further diagnosis and therapy. Then, depending on the location of the chondrosarcoma, surgery is performed by a team of physicians from orthopedics neurosurgery, vascular surgery, and visceral surgery.

Every patient who needs a doctor wants the best medical care. Therefore, the patient is wondering where to find the best clinic. As this question cannot be answered objectively and a reliable doctor would never claim to be the best, we can only rely on the doctor’s experience.

We will help you find an expert for your condition. All listed doctors and clinics have been reviewed by us for their outstanding specialization in chondrosarcoma and are awaiting your inquiry or request for treatment.

Sources:

• Herold et al.: Innere Medizin. Eigenverlag 2012, ISBN: 978-3-981-46602-7.
• Böcker et al.: Pathologie. 3. Auflage Urban & Fischer 2004, ISBN: 3-437-44470-0.
• Hiddemann et al.: Die Onkologie: Teil 1: Epidemiologie - Pathogenese - Grundprinzipien der Therapie. Springer 2013, ISBN: 978-3-662-06671-3.
• Hirner, Weise (Hrsg.): Chirurgie. 2. Auflage Thieme 2008, ISBN: 978-3-131-30842-9.
• European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO): Bone sarcomas: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. In: Annals of Oncology. Band: 25, Nummer: suppl 3, 2014, doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdu256