Histological grading and morphometric analysis of cartilaginous tumours

Abstract
Morphometric analysis of cartilaginous tumours was performed on 25 chondrosarcomas, 9 cases of enchondroma (ENCH), and 2 chondroblastic osteosarcomas (CBOS). The chondrosarcomas were classified into three grades of malignancy according to Evans' histological classification and were further divided into low and high grades of malignancy. Cellularity, nuclear area, binucleate cells and mitotic figures were examined using formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded specimens. The cellularity was significantly higher in high-grade chondrosarcoma (HGCS) than in low-grade chondrosarcoma (LGCS) (PP< 0.005) and between LGCS and HGCS (PPP<0.05). These results suggest that nuclear area and binucleate cells are useful for differentiation between benign and malignant cartilaginous lesions and that easily detectable mitotic figures are a reliable marker for neoplastic cartilage in osteosarcoma.