S0344 Intralesional Resection in Treating Patients With Chondrosarcoma of the Bone

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Suspected low-grade intracompartmental chondrosarcoma, as defined by the following criteria: Resorption of prior calcifications (indicated by a change in radiographic appearance over time) AND/OR meets at least 2, but no more than 4, of the following criteria: Permeative appearance of medullary bone, defined as presence of tumor around 3 sides of a trabecula of normal bone Endosteal scalloping, defined as > 50% of adjacent cortical thickness Cortical thickening beyond the thickness of adjacent normal bone Bone expansion, defined as a circumferential increase in diameter of the bone beyond the adjacent normal bone Positive (i.e., increased uptake or "hot") bone scan No cortical disruption and/or soft tissue mass by radiography and CT scan (3 mm cuts are optimal) or MRI No presumptive axial (spinal) involvement No multifocal disease by bone scan PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age 18 and over Performance status Not specified Life expectancy Not specified Hematopoietic Not specified Hepatic Not specified Renal Not specified Other No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or adequately treated stage I or II cancer in complete remission PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy No prior biologic therapy for this tumor Chemotherapy No prior chemotherapy for this tumor Endocrine therapy Not specified Radiotherapy No prior radiotherapy for this tumor Surgery No prior surgery for this tumor except biopsy* No concurrent intramedullary fixation NOTE: *Biopsy is not required Other No prior investigational anticancer agents for this tumor