Bone Cancer (Chondrosarcoma of Cartilage)

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What is Bone Cancer?

Chondosarcoma of Cartilage is characterised by one or more tumours of the cartilage.

Cartilage is a highly specialised avascular form of connective tissue. It consists of chondrocytes and the extracellular matrix that they produce. It is solid and firm but also pliable - rendering cartilage a highly resilient tissue.

Cartilage is a key tissue in the development and maintenance of most bones in the body. During foetal development, the long bones of the body develop from cartilage models. In adults, cartilage forms the articular surface of many joints and the rings of the trachea. There are three different types of cartilage classified on the basis of the extracellular matrix: hyaline, elastic and fibrocartilage.

Who gets Bone Cancer?

This type of bone cancer is uncommon, accounting for only 20% of primary bone malignancies (0.2% of total). Chondrosarcomas are a group of tumours ranging from slow-growing non-metastasising lesions to high grade malignancies and occurs with increasing age. Peak incidence of chondrosarcoma is in the 4th to 6th decades. However, the clear cell and mesenchymal variants can occur in younger patients with sex incidence being a 2:1 male predominance.

Geographically, this bone cancer tumour is found worldwide.

Predisposing Factors

Increasing age, being of the male sex and the presence of a pre-existing enchondroma (benign tumours of hyaline cartilage occurring within the medullary cavity) - although only 10% of chondrosarcomas arise in these pre-existing lesions.

Progression

This type of bone cancer tumour spreads by direct extension into adjacent tissues with characteristic scalloping on x-rays due to the nodular growth patterns of the lesions. When metastases occur, they tend to be to the lungs and other bones.

Other sites can include regional lymph nodes (more common in mesenchymal chondrosarcoma), skin and soft tissues.

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