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Chondrosarcoma — SCE Medical Oncology MCQ

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ModerateSarcomaChondrosarcomaSCE Medical Oncology

A 65-year-old woman with a grade 2 chondrosarcoma of the pelvis is referred for treatment. The tumour is 10 cm. What is the primary treatment challenge specific to chondrosarcoma?

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Correct answer: E — Chondrosarcoma is resistant to both chemotherapy and radiotherapy — surgery with wide margins is the only curative approach for conventional subtypes

Conventional chondrosarcoma is characteristically resistant to both chemotherapy and radiotherapy, making complete surgical resection with wide margins the only curative treatment. This surgical challenge is compounded by the frequent pelvic/axial location. Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma may respond to chemotherapy (analogous to osteosarcoma protocols). Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma is relatively chemosensitive. IDH1/2 mutations are common in conventional chondrosarcoma, offering potential future targeted therapy approaches.

Reference: ESMO 2024 Bone Sarcoma Guidelines; NICE NG Bone sarcoma pathway