Chondrosarcoma, a cancer that forms cartilage, mainly affects middle aged and elderly age group. The usual complaints are pain, swelling and sometimes a fracture without significant injury. Commonest bones to be affected are the thigh/ hip bone, the pelvic bone and the shoulder bones, although any bone can be affected. Sometimes, a long standing benign (non-cancerous) cartilage producing tumor may change into a chondrosarcoma.
Diagnosis is by x-ray, CT scan and MRI of the affected part, followed by a core needle biopsy. An open biopsy may rarely be required. The stage of the cancer is evaluated by either CT scan of chest and a bone scan or a whole-body PET CT.
Treatment is mainly by complete surgical removal. In most cases, this will mean limb salvage surgery, and replacement by a prosthesis or a bone graft. Rarely, a curettage will be offered for a low-grade chondrosarcoma. Radiation therapy is not very effective, and reserved for cases where complete surgical removal is not possible. Chemotherapy, too has limited role. Outcome will depend on the stage and the grade of the cancer, which forms the basis of the treatment plan.