A Patient's Guide to Chondrosarcoma

Chondrosarcoma Questions

Radiation and Chemotherapy are not common methods of treatment for Chondrosarcoma. Only rarely are radiation and chemotherapy used on a patient with Chondrosarcoma. The decision to do so, depends on the advanced staging of the tumor and the type. More aggressive forms of Chondrosarcoma are given the designation of Stage III and Stage IV. If it is considered to be an aggressive or advanced chondrosarcoma, chemotherapy or radiation may be considered as part of the treatment plan.

If you are not being treated by a Musculoskeletal Oncologist (Bone Tumor Specialist) question your doctor as to why one is not included in your medical care, Ask why radiation or chemotherapy is being offered and what medical evidence there is for usefulness of such treatment for chondrosarcoma. Ask if you are being offered radiation or chemotherapy as part of a research protocol.

Very rarely, if the Chondrosarcoma is dedifferentiated, then radiation therapy, or chemotherapy to reduce the tumor size may be followed by surgery to remove the cancer.

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by mouth in the form of a pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in a vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drugs enter the bloodstream, travel through the body, and can kill cancer cells throughout the body.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may be given before surgery or following surgery, if the surgeon is unable to remove adequate tissue surrounding the tumor. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external radiation therapy) or from putting materials that produce radiation (radioisotopes) through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).

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This site was created in loving memory of Raj A. Megha.

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