IMPORTANCE OF INITIAL PRESENTATION AND TREATMENT UPON SURVIVAL OF PATIENTS WITH CHONDROSARCOMA

Abstract

The effect of initial presenting symptoms, degree of tumor differentiation and type of surgical procedure on survival was evaluated in a 20 yr review of 42 patients with chondrosarcoma. Therapy of patients presenting initially with a painless mass resulted in a median survival period longer than 13 yr vs. < 3 yr if the initial symptom was pain. Median survival time of patients with well differentiated chondrosarcomas was > 10 yr compared with 1.2 yr if the tumor was less well differentiated. Even if the sarcoma was nonresectable, these factors influenced the survival time. Since chondrosarcomas tended to recur locally rather than metastasize, a number of patients who had a recurrence after the initial surgical excision could be saved by a more radical secondary operation.