Chondrosarcoma: Bone Cancer in Arm, Pelvis, Knee Cartilage Cells

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07/01/23

This type of cancer grows in the cartilage cells, the connective tissue, in the body. Chondrosarcoma is typically found in the femur, arm, pelvis, knee and spine. Gregory Domson, MD, explains this bone cancer and the treatment options.

For more information: https://uvahealth.com/services..../bone-cancer/chondro

Chondrosarcoma is a malignancy. It’s a type of cancer that arises from cartilage cells. So, cartilage is really that kind of smooth surface on the end of your bones that helps with gliding of the joints.

Chondrosarcoma, like most bone cancers, starts with bone pain or a mass. The treatment options for chondrosarcoma are usually surgery alone. Cartilage tumors don’t respond as well to radiation treatment and chemotherapy, and so typically surgery is the standard of care.

Surgery for chondrosarcoma can be radical surgery, like an amputation. It can be limb salvage surgery, where we resect a portion of the bone and reconstruct the bone. Also, it can be less invasive surgery where we scrape out the tumor and reconstruct the bone. Not many surgeons are familiar or very comfortable doing resection of chondrosarcoma and reconstruction once the tumor is out. And so often times they go to a tertiary care center to seek a musculoskeletal oncologist, like myself here at UVA.