Chondrosarcoma of the anterior chest wall: surgical resection and reconstruction with titanium mesh

Primary malignant tumors of the chest wall are uncommon. Chondrosarcoma is the most common malignancy of the sternum. The current therapy for chondrosarcoma requires adequate surgical excision. A 52-year-old man presented with a lower-sternal mass. Thorax computed tomography (CT) revealed a well-lineated, hypodense and round mass, which highly suggested the sarcoma of the chest wall. The tumor involved 1/3 distal part of the corpus sterni. Incisional biopsy of the mass was reported as chondrosarcoma. In order to obtain disease-free surgical margins, 1/3 distal part of the sternum with costochondral junctions was resected and reconstruction of anterior chest wall was performed with titanium mesh. The postoperative course was uneventful. The titanium mesh provided the essential rigidity and minimal elasticity over the surgical wound. Our findings show that this technique is adequate even for reconstructing extensive defects of the anterior chest wall.