Soft tissue chondroma--a study of 15 tumours

Fifteen cases of soft tissue chondroma have been reviewed. This lesion shows an equal sex incidence and occurs predominantly in middle-aged individuals. The majority arise in the hands and feet. Histologically these tumours are largely composed of adult-type hyaline cartilage, but in all cases foci show nuclear atypia and pleomorphism. In cartilaginous lesions of the axial skeleton or large limb bones this would probably have led to a diagnosis of well differentiated chondrosarcoma. Despite these worrying features none of the seven cases for which follow-up information is available recurred. The importance of recognizing the benign nature of these little-known tumours is stressed. The differential diagnosis of soft tissue cartilaginous tumours is briefly discussed.