title: Chondrosarcoma of the chest wall: a clinical analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To discuss the management of different histological types of chondrosarcoma (CS) in the chest wall based on our clinical experience.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects of this study were 16 patients with CS of the chest wall surgically treated by resection at our institute between September 1981 and August 2000. There were 11 men and 5 women ranging in age from 23 to 74 years. The median follow-up period was 54 months. The tumor was located only in the ribs in ten patients, in the sternum and ribs in three, only in the sternum in two, and in the ribs and spine in one. The surgical margins were wide in 12 patients and marginal in four. Reconstruction using Marlex mesh combined with moldable metal plates was carried out to prevent flail chest in nine patients, resection alone was performed in five patients, and a muscular flap was used in two patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survival rate was 86% after a median follow-up period of 54 months. One operative death (6.2%) occurred, and another required temporary tracheostomy. There were no infections in this series. Oncological outcome was clinically related to surgical margins and recurrence. The postoperative respiratory function test result was 10% less than the preoperative one.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This series demonstrated that wide resection is the treatment of choice for chest wall CS and that Marlex mesh combined with metallic mouldable plates is a reliable technique for reconstruction.
authors.affiliation: Oncology Department, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Briccoli
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Paolis
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Campanacci
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mercuri
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bertoni
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lari
authors.forename: Alba
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balladelli
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rocca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002813:Chondrosarcoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D015996:Survival Rate; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D035441:Thoracic Wall