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Bone tumors

Clear cell chondrosarcoma

BoneMalignant / sarcomaChondrogenic tumours

Epidemiology

A rare subtype of chondrosarcoma, generally low-grade, that usually affects the epiphysis in young or middle-aged adults. Its slow course can give a false sense of low urgency, but it should be referred to a sarcoma team from the outset.

Basic features

It can mimic a chondroblastoma because of its location near a joint, but its management requires treating it as a malignant tumor.

Usual treatment

Wide resection is the main treatment; curettage alone is associated with a higher risk of recurrence.

Outcomes and prognosis

It is usually low-grade with a relatively favorable prognosis, but it can recur or metastasize years later, so it needs prolonged follow-up.

Warning signs

These signs do not necessarily mean cancer, but they warrant evaluation before operating on or needling a mass.

  • A soft-tissue mass that grows, is larger than 5 cm, or is deep.
  • Persistent, night-time or progressive bone pain, especially if it limits activity.
  • A fracture from minimal trauma, or an aggressive bone lesion on an X-ray.
  • A lump that comes back after previous surgery.
  • Neurological symptoms, rapid swelling, or pain associated with a mass.

This information is general and does not replace a medical evaluation. A musculoskeletal tumor must be interpreted together with imaging, physical examination, biopsy when appropriate and each patient's context.

Specialist evaluation

If you have a mass, a bone lesion or a report suggesting a tumor, book an evaluation.

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