Clear Cell Chondrosarcoma with Rib Cage Metastasis: Case Report

Abstract

Clear cell chondrosarcoma is a rare histological subtype of chondrosarcoma, usually with a relatively non-aggressive clinical course. However, infrequently they may relapse and metastasize. We describe a case of a male patient, 53 years old, with rib cage metastases of a clear cell chondrosarcoma 11 years after the first surgical intervention, and review the literature.

Fig. 1

Gross inspection of periacetabular pelvic resection: there is a whitish lesion with hemorrhagic and necrotic areas, surrounding bone and with soft tissue component. Negative surgical margins were achieved resorting to wide resection.

Fig. 2

a Tumour revealed a diffuse cell proliferation surrounding trabeculae of woven bone (H&E, ×40). b The tumour cells exhibited clear cell cytoplasm and moderate nuclear atypia (H&E, ×200).

Fig. 3

a Chest X-ray showed a lytic lesion of the rib cage (blue arrow). b Computed tomography (CT scan) confirmed the lytic lesion, on the 7th right rib, centred in the bone.

Fig. 4

a Histological evaluation revealed a diffuse cellular proliferation (H&E, ×20). b The cells had clear cell cytoplasm with well-defined boundaries and visible nucleoli, with areas of mature cartilage (H&E, ×200).