From birth to triumph: A rare case report of rib chondrosarcoma with unprecedented growth patterns

Primary tumors of ribs are uncommon in clinical practice. These tumors can be benign or malignant and often present unique challenges in diagnosis and treatment. For instance, rib chondrosarcoma is a rare type of chondrosarcoma that occurs in the rib cage, representing a significant clinical diagnosis challenge due to its potential for local recurrence and metastasis. With rib chondrosarcoma being more or less common compared to other locations such as the long bones and pelvis. Generally, rib chondrosarcoma develops rapidly and mostly occurred in middle-aged or elderly crowds. Rib chondrosarcoma in children is a rare but significant clinical concern.

A 30-year-old male patient, prior to marriage, sought surgical removal of a chest wall mass, which present from birth, to achieve an improved aesthetic appearance of the chest wall.

Preoperative chest computed tomography scans indicated the presence of a rib tumor, which was initially presumed to be benign. However, postoperative histopathological analysis revealed the mass to be a rib chondroma.

He received resection of the tumor and reconstruction of chest wall. Considering the slow growth of the tumor, this patient did not receive any other adjuvant treatments after the surgery, including chemotherapy or targeted therapy.

The symptoms disappeared after the operation, no other discomfort was appealed during the follow-up over the next 5 years, and no recurrence of the intrathoracic lesion was detected in the imaging examinations.

Such a slow growth pattern of rib chondrosarcoma has not been reported in the previous literature. Considering the diagnosis of rib chondrosarcoma is crucial for assessing the extent of the tumor and planning surgical intervention, this case expands the knowledge of clinicians and radiologists in the diagnosis of rib chondrosarcoma.