Extensive skeletal metastases from chondrosarcoma without pulmonary involvement

Among 251 patients who presented to our orthopedic oncology unit over the last 20 years with chondrosarcoma, we identified two patients with low to intermediate grade conventional chondrosarcoma who developed multifocal bone metastases in the absence of pulmonary spread. The metastatic lesions were of a similar histologic grade to the primary site. One of the patients had synchronous foci, while the other developed the bone lesions 3 years after initial presentation. The unusual behavior of these cases, as well as the possibility that they may represent instances of multicentric chondrosarcoma, is discussed.