Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma

A mesenchymal chondrosarcoma in a 17-year-old women is presented.     

Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma of the sellar region

Summary ¶Background. It is known that, although rare, mesenchymal chondrosarcoma can originate intracranially. However, no such malignant tumour has been described in the sellar region. Clinical presentation. We report a case of mesenchymal chondrosarcoma in a 21-year-old man who presented with double vision, right blepharoptosis and facial pain. Upon initial admission, no endocrinological abnormalities were found, and computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mass with calcification in the sella and right cavernous sinus. Intervention. For this malignant tumour, three surgical resections, two sessions of gamma-knife radiosurgery, one session of fractional irradiation, and one cycle of chemotherapy were performed, resulting in only brief arrest of the tumour growth. Pathologically, the tumour consisted of undifferentiated small cells of high cellularity, and islands of hyaline cartilage. The undifferentiated small cells showed immunoreactivity for vimentin and ultrastructural features suggesting a mesenchymal origin. Lacunar cells in the islands were immunopositive for S-100 protein and vimentin. Conclusion. Although malignant tumours in the sellar region are rare, they should be considered in the differential diagnosis of various sellar tumours typified by non-functioning pituitary adenoma, and mesenchymal chondrosarcoma is one possible candidate.Published online July 16, 2003     

Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma originating from the femoral vein

Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma is a rare variant of chondrosarcomas characterized by a bimorphic pattern with areas of the undifferentiated malignant small cells and well differentiated cartilaginous islands.(1) It occurs most commonly in the bone but can also occur in the extraskeletal soft tissues, the brain, and the meninges. This type of tumor has also been described in the eyelids, parapharyngeal space, mediastinum, and the kidney.(1-5) An origin from the large vessels has not been reported in the medical literature. The authors report a case of mesenchymal chondrosarcoma originating from the femoral vein in a 28-year-old female patient, treated by the wide-margin resection.     

Clear cell sarcoma (malignant melanoma of soft tissues) of the calf

Clear cell sarcoma (malignant melanoma of soft parts) is a rare malignancy that is found in the young adult, and is generally located in the extremities of the limbs. In this study, a new case has been reported in a 24-year old male with no previous history of cutaneous melanoma. The tumor consisted of fusiform or round cells with clear or granulocytic cytoplasm and vesicular nuclei. The patient was treated by surgical resection of the tumor and postoperative radiotherapy. Eight years later, metastatic nodes were detected in the inguinal region. The histogenesis of this tumor has not yet been determined, and it poses a diagnostic problem for pathologists as it can be mistaken for a malignant metastatic cutaneous melanoma.     

Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma of the rib: Report of a case

Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma is a rare malignant cartilaginous tumor arising within the bone or soft tissue. An 18-year-old woman presented with a tumor on her left fourth rib. We performed a wide resection of the tumor and administered three cycles of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. Three years after the operation, the patient is alive without any evidence of either local recurrence or distant metastases. The findings of this case may thus support the usefulness of a radical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy for mesenchymal chondrosarcoma.     

Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma associated with Goldenhar’s syndrome

Goldenhar’s syndrome is characterised by bony abnormalities of the face, jaw and vertebral column. We report the first case of the development of a primary malignant neoplasm (mesenchymal chondrosarcoma) initially misdiagnosed as a meningioma, occurring in association with this syndrome. Received: 6 October 1997     

Liposarcoma of the soft tissues

A case report presents a liposarcoma of the extremities and an overall review of this disease entity. Past and present histologic classifications of liposarcoma are discussed, as are the clinical behavior and treatment options in relation to the surgical stage of the tumor. The importance of a well-planned biopsy site is stressed.     

Choristomas of the intraoral soft tissues

Choristomas are rare lesions of the head and neck and may be composed of various types of tissue whose only similarity is their close association in fetal development. We present a case of a cartilaginous choristoma that was successfully treated by surgical excision. Choristomas should be included in the differential diagnosis of any lesion in the oral cavity--especially the tongue.     

Leiomyosarcoma of somatic soft tissues

Leiomyosarcoma is a rare, aggressively malignant connective tissue tumor of mature adults, which arises from smooth muscle. It occurs most frequently in the uterus, bowel, vascular tissues, and less commonly in somatic soft tissue or bone. The tumor when it arises in soft tissue has distinctive histologic features which somewhat resemble malignant fibrous histiocytoma (otherwise known as myxofibrosarcoma). The Orthopaedic Oncology Service at our institution has treated 66 patients with these lesions and thus far, 1/2 of the patients have died of disease at a mean of 3 years after discovery. Factors that increase the death rate include size of the tumor, Musculoskeletal Tumor Society Stage of disease, and to a lesser extent particularly in the lower extremities, anatomic site. Radiation and chemotherapy had little direct effect on the outcome but patients treated with surgery and adjunctive agents seemed to live longer than their cohorts treated with surgery alone. The purpose of this study is a general review of the clinical and prognostic features of this cancer.