WECOME ALL TO THE ENCHONDROMA SUPPORT GROUP.
An enchondroma is a type of benign bone tumor that originates from cartilage. Cartilage is the specialized, gristly connective tissue that is present in adults and the tissue from which most bones develop. There are many different types of cartilage that are present in our body. An enchondroma most often affects the cartilage that lines the inside of our bones. The bones that are most often involved are those of the hands and feet, although other bones are affected.
It is not known why we have these tumors, it is believed to either be an overgrowth of the cartilage that lines the ends of the bones, or as a persistent growth of original, enbryonic cartilage.
Enchondromas may occur as an individual tumor or several. The conditions that involve multiple lesions include the following:
Olliers disease (enchondromatosis)- when multiple sites in the body develop tumors.
Maffucci's syndrome- a combination of multiple tumors and angiomas (benign tumors made up of blood vessels).
You will often find that when being diagnosed as having a enchondroma you will have many tests these include xray, bone scan, mri and ct, most of you will have a core biopsy.
The treatment does depend on many things including your age health extent of the disease etc... but most specialists do like to observe the tumor for a while before discussing a treatment. If the affected bone causes problems such as fracture or pain then surgery may be recommended, this may include a bone graph which is a surgical procedure in which healthy bone is transplanted from another part of the patients body into the affected area.
IMPORTANT.
Some types of enchondromas can develop into malignant bone tumour so regular checkups may be recommended.
This site is here for us all to offer support to each other, for those of you that havnt joined yet come on and join our family in our quest to find a cure.