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Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma of the thumb: a case report

  • Orthopaedic Surgery
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Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma (DDCS) comprises approximately 10% of all chondrosarcomas and has the worst outcome with 5-year survival of 10%. The preferred localizations are femur, humerus and pelvis. We report a case of DDCS that arose in proximal phalanx of left-hand thumb of a 66-year-old man. He was admitted with a 2-month history of pain and swelling in his thumb. He had experienced a fracture 15 years ago in the same localization with a history of suspected preexisting enchondroma. Plain radiographs showed an expansive osteolytic lesion with milimetric calcifications while magnetic resonance imaging revealed intraosseous focal globular hyperintense spots consistent with chondroid areas as well as a surrounding soft tissue mass with intermediate signal intensity. In biopsy specimen we observed a low-grade chondrosarcoma next to a spindle cell sarcoma with an abrupt transition. He was treated with amputation and died of the disease within 9 months following the surgery. The presence of dedifferented chondrosarcoma in bones of hands was not previously reported. The presented case was provided with the macroscopic and microscopic features observed in amputation specimen in comparison with radiological findings.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like thank Prof. Dr. Gulsen Kandiloglu from Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pathology for her contribution to the case.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, 35100, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey

    Basak Doganavsargil, Murat Sezak, Banu Sarsik & Fikri Oztop

  2. Department of Radiodiagnostics, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey

    Mehmet Argin

  3. Department of Orthopedics, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey

    Dundar Sabah

  4. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey

    Ozgur Omur

Authors
  1. Basak Doganavsargil
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  2. Mehmet Argin
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  3. Murat Sezak
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  4. Dundar Sabah
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  5. Banu Sarsik
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Correspondence to Basak Doganavsargil.

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Doganavsargil, B., Argin, M., Sezak, M. et al. Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma of the thumb: a case report. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 129, 161–166 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-007-0538-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-007-0538-x

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