Extended intralesional treatment versus resection of low-grade chondrosarcomas

The need for segmental resection versus intralesional treatment of low-grade chondrosarcomas of the appendicular skeleton remains controversial. We hypothesized extended intralesional treatment would equally control malignant disease but with improved functional outcomes and decreased postoperative complications. We retrospectively reviewed 31 patients with 32 Grade I intracompartmental chondrosarcomas of the long bones of the appendicular skeleton treated with either resection (15 lesions) or extended intralesional curetting (17) at a minimum followup of 2 years (median, 55 months; range, 24-203 months). Lesions were larger and median followup was longer in the resection cohort. One local recurrence developed in each treatment cohort and neither transitioned to a higher grade of tumor. No patient had metastases develop or died of disease. The mean final Musculoskeletal Tumor Society functional scores were greater after extended intralesional versus resection treatment (29.5 versus 25.1). Complications were observed more frequently after resection and reconstruction (seven of 15) as compared with extended intralesional treatment (one of 17). Extended intralesional treatment of Grade I intracompartmental chondrosarcomas of the long bones of the appendicular skeleton therefore appears safe with improved functional scores and decreased complications versus segmental resection and reconstruction.

Level III, therapeutic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.