Chondrosarcoma of the Posterior Mediastinum

There was no means of a preoperative diagnosis of this case of chondrosarcoma of the posterior mediastinum with symptoms and roentgenologic appearance of a dumbbell neurofibroma. The close proximity to the paravertebral gutter and the paresthesias experienced would make the diagnosis of a neurogenic tumor plausible. There was indecision among the pathologists as to whether to call this tumor an osteogenic sarcoma or a chondrosarcoma. Since the cartilagenous tissue was much more abundant, the latter diagnosis was accepted. The finding of any mediastinal tumor is important because they have a tendency to malignant changes and may compress the thoracic viscera. The majority of such neoplasms are malignant or potentially so.