Mesenchymal Chondrosarcoma : Gross Pathology

Gross Pathology: Mesenchymal chondrosarcomas form a soft to firm, multilobulated, circumscribed mass with a size ranging from a few cm to as large as 20 cm. At skeletal sites, they usually destroy the bone and spill over into the surroundings forming a soft tissue mass. In long tubular bones such as femur, the tumor fills the medullary cavity and may erode the cortex. The cut surface shows soft, fleshy pink-tan areas admixed with variable amounts of hard, white calcific foci as well as nodules of cartilage. Areas of hemorrhage and necrosis are common.

Note the pathologic fracture. See previous image for plain radiograph. Image courtesy of: Raul Perret, MD, MSc; used with permission.