Chondrosarcoma is a rare type of malignant cancer in which there is production of cancerous cartilage cells in the bones of the pelvic region, hips and shoulders, or in the surrounding tissues, leading to the appearance of some signs and symptoms, such as pain, swelling and the formation of a mass at the affected site. It is slow to grow, but it can often develop metastases to other sites, especially the lung.
This type of cancer is more frequent in older people, especially men, it is related to genetic factors and the treatment is done with the aim of removing the tumor, requiring the performance of a surgical procedure.
Chondrosarcoma symptoms
The signs and symptoms of chondrosarcoma can vary from person to person according to the location and extent of the tumor, the main ones being:
- Mass appearance at the tumor site; Local pain, which worsens over time and may be more intense at night; Swelling of the region.
The occurrence of chondrosarcoma is related to genetic changes, occurring in bones considered normal and, therefore, this type of chondrosarcoma is known as primary chondrosarcoma. Some types of chondrosarcoma can also appear as a consequence of the transformation of benign cartilage lesions into cancer, which are called secondary chondrosarcomas.
Most chondrosarcomas develop slowly and have a good prognosis, with a low chance of metastasis, however there are others that have faster growth, which favors metastasis. Therefore, it is important that the diagnosis is made correctly so that the treatment can be started and, thus, consequences can be prevented.
How is the diagnosis
The diagnosis of chondrosarcoma is made by the orthopedist through the evaluation of the signs and symptoms presented by the person and imaging tests, such as X-rays, tomography, bone scintigraphy, magnetic resonance imaging and PET-scan, which is an imaging test widely used to diagnose cancer early and identify metastases. Understand how PET-scan is done.
However, it is common for the doctor to also ask for a biopsy, as it is the only way to definitively diagnose cancer, when other tests show some type of change.
Treatment for chondrosarcoma
Treatment aims to completely remove the tumor, requiring a surgical procedure. Treatment depends on the person's age, medical history, type of chondrosarcoma and stage of the disease and the prognosis given by the doctor.
When the diagnosis is made late or when it is a fast growing tumor, in addition to the removal of the tumor, it may also be necessary to amputate the limb in which the tumor was located to avoid that in the case of the permanence of any tumor cell, it will proliferate again and the cancer will appear again.
Although chondrosarcoma does not respond well to chemo and radiotherapy, these treatments may be necessary in case of metastasis, as it is thus possible to fight cancer cells that are found elsewhere in the body and prevent the progression of the disease.
It is important that the person is regularly monitored by the oncology orthopedist and his team, in order to verify the success of the treatment and the need to perform any other procedure.
See how the treatment for bone cancer should be done.
