Cervical Chondrosarcoma

STUDY DESIGN: Illustrative cases with review of the literature. OBJECTIVE: In this manuscript, we aim to review the current available literature on cervical spine chondrosarcoma management and present two recent illustrative cases with long-term follow-ups to highlight management strategies and surgical technical considerations. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Chondrosarcoma of the mobile cervical spine is exceedingly rare. Management strategies are largely based on retrospective studies and case reports. As with other malignant primary spine column tumors, en bloc resection when feasible, remains the oncologic gold standard and leads to lower local recurrence rates and better disease-free survival rates. Given the complexity of the surrounding anatomic structures, multidisciplinary and individualized approaches are often necessary when planning and executing the en bloc resections for cervical chondrosarcomas. METHODS: Literature review and case reports/illustrations. RESULTS: En bloc resection significantly decreases local recurrence and mortality for cervical chondrosarcoma when feasible. En bloc resection remains the gold standard for the treatment of spinal chondrosarcoma. Perioperative complication rates are high for cervical en bloc spondylectomies due to the complex surrounding anatomic structures. Multidisciplinary and individualized approaches are standard. Multistaged procedures are common. Lastly, modern technological advancements can be helpful in surgical planning and execution. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical chondrosarcoma is a rare disease that remains challenging. Treatment requires multidisciplinary and individualized planning and approach. Durable local control and long-term survival can be achieved with careful planning. When feasible, en bloc resection remains the gold standard.