Promising Outcome of Radiation Therapy for Chondroblastoma of Temporal Bone in Childhood: A Case Report

Chondroblastoma is a rare cartilaginous benign bone tumor. Chondroblastoma in the temporal bone is also quite rare. Total excision is the main treatment. Data regarding tumor response to radiation therapy (RT) is insufficient. We describe a case of chondroblastoma that was treated with RT following subtotal tumor resection. In this case, the patient was a 14-year-old male who presented with a three-month history of ear fullness and hearing loss in his right ear. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mass partly filling the right external auditory canal and the inferior part of the middle ear. Histopathological findings indicated chondroblastoma. Subtotal tumor resection was performed due to risk of complications. RT was planned upon the growth of the tumor during follow-up. Treatment with subtotal resection and postoperative RT has been successful and the patient had no recurrence in the course of the 12-year follow-up. In chondroblastoma, complete surgical resection is still the gold standard. But the success of subtotal resection followed by adjuvant RT should also be kept in mind for cases where the total excision would pose high morbidity.