Ad. Rapidis et al., CHONDROSARCOMAS OF THE SKULL BASE - REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE AND REPORT OF 2 CASES, Journal of cranio-maxillo-facial surgery, 25(6), 1997, pp. 322-327
Chondrosarcomas are malignant mesenchymal tumours occurring only rarel
y in the bones of the cranium, Less than 5% of all chondrosarcomas are
located in the head and neck area and their commonest location is the
ethmoids and the sphenoid sinus, They are slow-growing tumours,vith l
ow malignancy rate and unclear histopathogenesis, The prevailing hypot
hesis is that they arise from cartilaginous remnants in the petro-cliv
al, spheno-occipital and fronto-nasal synchondroses. Diagnosis is only
made after biopsy since clinical signs and symptoms and radiological
findings are not pathognomonic, Symptomatology mainly derives from tum
our encroachment and infiltration of adjacent intracranial structures,
Surgery is the treatment of choice, while radiotherapy has an adjunct
ive role, Chemotherapy is not effective, Partial tumour excision to al
leviate symptoms is an acceptable surgical technique since diagnosis i
s usually late, but treatment can be repeated when recurrence occurs,
During the last year, two cases of chondrosarcoma of the skull base we
re treated in our institution, Both patients were female, aged 62 and
73, respectively, Computerized Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imagi
ng ere inconclusive and diagnosis was established after biopsy, Treatm
ent for both cases was surgical,,vith partial excision due to intracra
nial involvement of the internal carotid artery, In one case, a tempor
al approach,vas used, whereas the other patient was operated on via a
naso-orbital approach, One patient received postoperative radiotherapy
. The postoperative course was uneventful in both patients and marked
clinical improvement,vas noted 18 months and 1 year after surgery, We
support the view that partial resection of chondrosarcomas of the base
of the skull to alleviate symptoms is an acceptable surgical treatmen
t.