Chondromyxoid fibroma; experience of 36 cases of an intriguing entity.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinico-pathological features and treatment options of chondromyxoid fibroma patients.

METHODS: The retrospective study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Karachi, and comprised data of all cases of chondromyxoid fibroma of bone diagnosed between 1996 and 2013.The diagnosis had been made mostly histopathologically, but also included patients in whom preoperative incisional biopsies had been used. Histopathological and radiological findings along with various treatment options and follow-up was recorded on a proforma.

RESULTS: Of the total 36 patients,14(39%) were females and 22(61%) were males, with an overall mean age ± of standard deviation 20.9 years ± 9.8 (range: 6-51 years). Diagnosis was made histopathologically in 27(75%) patients and biopsy was used in 9(25%) cases. The most common site of involvement was tibia in 16(44.4%). The main presenting symptom was pain in 30(83.3%) and/or swelling in 6(16.6%). Radiological examination revealed no foci of soft tissue involvement. Bizarre large atypical cells were seen in 14(39%) cases and osteoid formation in 2(5.5%), leading to extreme difficulty in diagnosis. Treatment options included wide resection and marginal excisionin 22(61%) cases, intra-lesional curettage in 14(39%). The mean ± standard deviation follow-up was 48.8 ± 40.2 months (range: 8-152 months). Follow-up details were available only for 19(53%) patients. Among them, recurrence occurred in 7(36.8%) patients. No functional loss developed after surgical treatment, but 3(16%) patients developed wound-site infection.

CONCLUSIONS: Chondromyxoid fibroma is clinically and histopathologically rare and difficult to diagnose because of the absence of typical diagnostic features in every case.