Chondroma/Chondrosarcoma of the Spine

Chondromas and chondrosarcomas are cartilage-forming tumors that occur rarely in the spine. These neoplasms exist on opposite ends of the pathologic spectrum, ranging from the benign chondroma to the malignant, high-grade chondrosarcoma. Unlike other sarcomas, a patient's long-term prognosis is influenced by the grade of the tumor. A complete en bloc resection is the ideal method of surgical management. This method holds especially true for chondrosarcomas, and can result in prolonged survival. These tumors are resistant to conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Hypofractionated stereotactic radiation therapy may slow tumor progression, although the long-term effect of this modality is unknown.