Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma of maxilla: a rare case report

Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma (MC) is a rare variant of chondrosarcoma (CS) that accounts for upto 3-9% of all CS and has high predilection for the head and neck region. It is usually seen in younger age group compared to conventional CS and maxillary anterior alveolus is the most common site. The tumor is most unusual as it has been described as a particularly aggressive neoplasm with a high tendency for late recurrence and delayed metastasis. It is a biphasic tumor with areas comprising of spindle cell mesenchyme interspread with areas of chondroid differentiation. A 75 year old male presented to us as a painless mass in maxilla. Contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) revealed a lytic expansile lesion in the left maxillary bone with foci of calcification within soft tissue lesion. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and incisional biopsy was performed which confirmed the diagnosis of maxillary MC. The patient underwent right and left subtotal maxillectomy with 2 cm margins. The review of literature shows that very few cases of maxillary MC have been reported so far. Thus an attempt is made to add this rare case of MC of maxillary alveolus in the English literature.