Primary spinal chondrosarcoma with eighteen-year follow-up: case report and literature review

Although chrondrosarcomas are common primary bone tumors, their occurrence in the spine is very rare. Because total excision in such cases is seldom possible, few long term survivors have been reported. We are reporting one patient with a high thoracic spinal chondrosarcoma who survived with useful function for over 18 years because of repeated local tumor excisions. The literature is reviewed, and an aggressive surgical treatment of spinal chondrosarcoma is recommended.