Intracranial chondrosarcoma--case report

The authors report the case of a 54-year-old male who was found to have a large intracranial chondrosarcoma at the site from which chondromas had been partially removed twice, 6 and 10 years previously. On the third admission, the second through tenth and the twelfth cranial nerves on the right side were involved. Computed tomographic scans showed a large mass in the right middle and posterior fossae and the right ethmoid sinus. Angiography demonstrated an extradural mass in the right middle fossa. The tumor in the middle and posterior fossae was subtotally removed, and second, third, and eighth cranial nerve function improved postoperatively. Histological examination of tumor specimens showed active proliferation of poorly differentiated cartilagenous cells, suggestive of sarcomatous transformation of the pre-existing chondroma. It is emphasized that chondromas should be removed as completely as possible and that patients must be followed carefully after surgery.