title: Radiologic follow-up of untreated enchondroma and atypical cartilaginous tumors in the long bones.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Both enchondroma and atypical cartilaginous tumors (ACT) are not considered malignant, so inactive and asymptomatic tumors might not need surgery. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that has been done to evaluate the natural course of conservative-treated enchondroma and ACT in the long bones.
  
  
  METHODS
  For this retrospective study, we analyzed the results of patients in whom we refrained from surgery and only regularly performed radiological follow-up of the tumor. Minimal follow-up after initial diagnosis was 24 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-nine patients were included in this study. Eight out of forty-nine cases received surgical treatment during follow-up of the tumor. The reasons for this surgery were radiologic growth of the tumor in two cases, pain in one case, patient request in three cases, another indication for surgery in the same limb in two cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this small series of conservatively treated enchondroma and ACT, only 6% of the patients had a medical indication for surgery. This study shows that indication for surgery should be discussed more thoroughly. Based on our results, we would recommend annual radiologic follow-up for asymptomatic enchondroma or ACT in the long bones, irrespective of tumor size. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:987-991. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deckers
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bart H W
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Schreuder
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gerjon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hannink
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jacky W J
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: de Rooy
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ingrid C M
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: van der Geest
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000359:Aftercare; D000368:Aged; D002812:Chondroma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005266:Femoral Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006811:Humerus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013977:Tibia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D057832:Watchful Waiting
keywords: chondroma; chondrosarcoma; therapy; watchful waiting