Walsh & Hoyt: Tumors of Bone or Cartilage

Tumors that originate from bone or cartilage may be classified as (a) chordomas; (b) bone-forming tumors such as osteoma, osteoblastoma, and osteogenic sarcoma; (c) cartilage-forming tumors including chondroma and its variants, chondroblastoma and chondrosarcoma; and (d) tumors arising within the osseous vascular system such as giant-cell tumor, aneurysmal bone cyst, and hemangioma. All of these tumors may arise in the bones of the skull and produce neurologic symptoms and signs. When the tumors arise at the base of the skull, they tend to produce progressive cranial neuropathies that may be single or multiple. Diplopia with or without visual loss is commonly seen with skull base tumors. Tumors that arise from the frontal, parietal, temporal, or occipital bones may produce focal or generalized neurologic dysfunction identical with that produced by meningiomas and other extraparenchymal mass lesions.