Chondrosarcoma is a rare type of malignant cancer that produces cancer cells of cartilage in the bones of the pelvic region, hips and shoulders or in surrounding tissues, resulting in certain signs and symptoms, such as pain, swelling, and mass formation at the affected site. . It has slow growth, but can often develop metastasis to other sites, especially the lung.
This type of cancer is more common in the elderly, mainly men, is linked to genetic factors and treatment is performed with the aim of training the tumor, being necessary for this to perform the surgery.
- Signs and symptoms of chondrosarcoma may vary from person to person depending on the location and extent of the tumor.
- The main being:.
The onset of chondrosarcoma is related to genetic changes, which occur in bones considered normal and, therefore, this type of chondrosarcoma is known as primary chondrosarcoma. Some types of chondrosarcoma can also occur as a result of the transformation of benign cartilaginous lesions into cancer, called secondary chondrosarcomas.
Most chondrosarvids develop slowly and have good prognosis, with low risk of metastasis, but others grow faster, which favors metastases. It is therefore important that the diagnosis is made correctly so that treatment can be initiated so that the consequences can be avoided.
The diagnosis of chondrosarcoma is made by the orthopedist by assessing the signs and symptoms presented by the person and imaging tests, such as x-rays, tomography, bone scan, MRI, and PET, which is a widely used imaging test. to diagnose early cancer and identify metastases. Understand how TEP scanning is performed.
However, it’s common for your doctor to also order a biopsy, as this is the only way to definitively diagnose the cancer, when other tests show a certain type of change.
Treatment aims to completely remove the tumor, requiring surgery. Treatment depends on the person’s age, medical history, type of chondrosarcoma and stage of the disease and the doctor’s prognosis.
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 it in case of any permanent cell tumor. , will re-proliferate and the cancer will return.
Although chondrosarcoma does not respond well to chemotherapy and radiation therapy, these treatments may be necessary in case of metastasis, as it is possible to fight cancer cells found in other parts of the body and prevent disease progression.
It is important that the person is regularly monitored by the cancer orthopedist and his/her team, to verify the success of the treatment and the need to perform any other procedures.
See how bone cancer treatment should be done.