Skeletal recurrences and metastases of extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma

Abstract

Objective: The objective was to elucidate clinical and imaging features of skeletal involvement, recurrences, and metastases of extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma.

Materials and methods: Included in this series are 4 patients, aged 44 to 65 years, 3 of whom were men and 1 a woman.

Results: The primary lesions were in the thigh (n = 3) and the upper arm (n = 1). Three patients with multiple metastases died of the disease, 2 were considered to have local recurrence in the adjacent bone. Skeletal metastases occurred after lung metastases in 2 cases, and before lung metastases in 1 case. Typical imaging findings are well-defined lesions with no sclerotic margin or matrix mineralization. A slow, but persistent growth is noted on the imaging features.

Conclusion: Although skeletal metastases of chondrosarcoma of bone and soft tissue are rare, myxoid chondrosarcomas, currently classified tumors of uncertain differentiation, rarely metastasize and/or recur in the bones. The imaging features are typically of a localized lesion with cortical disruption or expansion.