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Experience in the treatment of dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma

Royal Orthopaedic Hospital Oncology Service, Woodlands, Northfield, Birmingham B31 2AP, UK.

Correspondence should be sent to Mr A. D. Mitchell at 7 Northland Drive, Scotstoun, Glasgow G14 9BE, UK.

Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma is a rare, highly malignant variant of chondrosarcoma in which a high-grade spindle-cell sarcoma coexists with a lower-grade chondroid tumour. We have reviewed our experience with this neoplasm in 22 patients, all of whom were treated using modern oncological principles of planned resection and chemotherapy. Despite this the median survival was under nine months and only 18% were alive at five years. Those patients who received chemotherapy, and in whom wide margins of excision were achieved at operation, did best. It is essential to have an accurate preoperative diagnosis in order to plan treatment which may offer a better prospect of cure.