Chondroblastoma in adult age

Abstract

Purpose: Chondroblastoma (CB) is a rare benign tumor that occurs most commonly in the second decade of life. No studies on CB in adulthood have been reported. Our purposes were to report a single-institution experience on CB in adults and to discuss the clinical and imaging findings, type of treatment, oncologic and functional outcomes.

Patients and methods: All patients diagnosed and treated for CB from 1981 to 2014 were reviewed. The main inclusion criterion was patients above their 30 years of age at diagnosis. Clinical presentation, imaging, surgical treatment, complications and functional outcome were evaluated. Local recurrences were recorded.

Results: There were 15 males (65%) and 8 females (35%) with a mean age of 40 years (range 30-59 years). Tumor involved the small bones (talus, calcaneus, acromion, cuneiform, metatarsals) in 15 patients (65%) and the long bones in eight patients (35%). Treatment consisted of curettage only (6 cases), curettage plus phenol (13 cases), curettage plus radiotherapy (one patient with vertebral tumor), resection (two patients with CB of the acromion) and chopart amputation (one patient with a metatarsal tumor). At a mean follow-up of 8.4 years (range 3-30 years), twenty patients (87%) remained continuously disease-free, whereas three had local recurrences. None of the patients received chemotherapy.

Conclusion: This study confirms that the occurrence and outcome of adult patients with CB are similar with those affecting younger patients. The main difference consists of the involved bones; flat bones and short tubular bones of the foot, especially the talus and calcaneus, are most commonly involved as opposed to long tubular bones.

Level of evidence: Therapeutic study, level IV-1 (case series).

Keywords: Adults; Benign tumors; Chondroblastoma; Curettage; Treatment.