Chondrosarcomas in adolescents: are they different?

The objective of this study was to evaluate the characteristics and oncologic outcomes of a single institution series of chondrosarcoma of pelvis and extremities in patients who were 21 years or younger. Between January 2006 and December 2016, we operated on 249 chondrosarcomas of the pelvis and extremities. Eleven (4%) of these were 21 years or younger. The mean age was 18 years (range 14-21 years). There were eight males and three females. Four occurred in the pelvis. The other sites were humerus (three) and one each in the scapula, clavicle, metatarsal and proximal femur. There were five primary chondrosarcomas and 6 (55%) secondary chondrosarcomas. After appropriate surgical excision, we had nine free margins and two margins were microscopically involved. None of the 11 patients received adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy. One patient never followed up after surgery and another was lost to follow-up after 32 months. Eight were alive and one had died. All survivors had minimum follow-up of 2 years (range 26-106 months). There was one local recurrence. The overall and disease-free survival at 5 years for all patients was 89 %. There was no statistically significant difference in survival for primary chondrosarcomas compared to secondary chondrosarcomas (P = 0.061), or pelvic chondrosarcomas compared to other sites (P = 0.264). Chondrosarcomas in children and adolescents constitute <5% of all chondrosarcomas. Secondary chondrosarcomas constituted more than half the cases. Overall, outcomes in the young were no different from those in adults.