Giant chondrosarcoma of the falx in an adolescent: A case report

Abstract

Background: Intracranial chondrosarcomas are slowly growing malignant cartilaginous tumors that are especially rare in adolescents.

Case description: A 19-year-old woman with no medical history presented with symptoms of intermittent facial twitching and progressive generalized weakness for 6 months. The patient's physical examination was unremarkable. Imaging revealed a large bifrontal mass arising from the falx cerebri, with significant compression of both cerebral hemispheres and downward displacement of the corpus callosum. The patient underwent a bifrontal craniotomy for gross total resection of tumor. Neuropathologic examination revealed a bland cartilaginous lesion most consistent with low-grade chondrosarcoma. Her postoperative course was uneventful, and she was discharged to home on postoperative day 3.

Conclusion: This is an unusual case of an extra-axial, non-skull base, low-grade chondrosarcoma presenting as facial spasm in an adolescent patient.

Keywords: Adolescent; Chondrosarcoma; Falx cerebri; Intracranial; Pediatric.