Mesenchymal Chondrosarcoma of the Thoracic Spine: Case Report

ABSTRACT

Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma is a rare tumor occurring in both bone and soft tissues and exhibits characteristics of a highly malignant tumor. The authors experienced a case of mesenchymal chondrosarcoma ocurring in a 33-year-old man, which had invaded the soft tissues of the chest wall and had been incompletely removed, and recurred in the adjacent T10 vertebra 4 years later. The patient presented with severe back pain and paraparesis at admission. Radiographic studies of the vertebra showed an aggressive osteolysis of the vertebral body, pedicle, lamina, compression of the spinal cord, and soft tissue invasion. The tumor was totally removed by an anterior and posterior combined approach. The removed vertebral body was replaced with a titanium mesh cage, and the thoracic spine was stabilized by both anterior and posterior fixations with instruments. The pathological and the clinical characteristics of mesenchymal chondrosarcoma are discussed.