Multiple local recurrences of primary sternal chondrosarcoma: tumor manipulation or self-seeding

Primary sternal chondrosarcoma, although rare, is the most common malignant tumor of the sternum. The gold standard treatment is complete surgical excision, which frequently causes the instability of the thorax necessitating future reconstruction. Local recurrence is common increasing the risk of distant metastasis.

A 60-year-old male patient was diagnosed with primary sternum chondrosarcoma and underwent surgical excision with negative resection margins. Later, he was found to have two local recurrences at 11 months and 37 months post initial excision. The two recurrences were surgically removed followed by local adjuvant radiation.

The seeding theories have been reported more frequently with relation to diagnostic biopsy procedures, tumor manipulation and self-seeding tumors. The patient developed two local recurrences despite total resection with negative margins, without concerns regarding seeding in distant metastasis.