Diagnosis and grading of chondrosarcomas on FNA biopsy material.

A consecutive series of 47 chondrosarcomas was reviewed to identify the most useful criteria for cytological diagnosis, and grading in comparison to histology grade. This series includes 39 evaluable cases, including 2 patients with Ollier's disease and 2 with extraskeletal chondrosarcomas. Eight cases were excluded because of lack of histologic confirmation (3). nondiagnostic cytology (4). and one inconclusive histologic diagnosis. The cytologic diagnosis of these tumors was based on the identification of chondrocytes and a chondromyxoid stroma. The chondrocytes often showed double nuclei (34/39) and macronucleoli (20/39). Nuclear atypia in terms of distinct variation in size was less common (16/39). Cytoplasmic granules and vacuoles were often seen (34/39 and 29/39, respectively). In smears, chondroid fragments and a chondromyxoid background were seen in a majority of cases (36/39 and 30/39, respectively). By grade, concordance with histology was present in 4/7 grade I tumors, 26/29 grades II-III, and 5/5 grade IV, respectively. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.