Differential diagnosis and management of subaxial cervical chondroma: illustrative case

Cervical chondromas are rare and can be misdiagnosed as metastatic lesions especially in older patients with previous history of cancer, emphasizing the need for histopathological diagnosis. Carbon fiber implants offer advantages for postoperative imaging and radiotherapy planning, if needed. Further research is warranted to explore potential genetic or syndromic links in oncological patients with atypical spinal chondromas. https://thejns.org/doi/10.3171/CASE25303.