Chordoma: 6 years' experience at a tertiary centre

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Orthopedics
• Neurosurgery

Background:

• Chordoma is a rare bone tumor originating from notochordal remnants.
• Sacrococcygeal and spheno-occipital regions are the most common sites for chordoma.
• Chordoma represents a rare malignancy, accounting for 0.07% of total cancer cases in this study's registration period.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review institutional experience with chordoma.
• To provide a practical approach to managing chordoma patients.
• To discuss case studies and review published works for optimal chordoma management.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of nine histologically proven chordoma cases.
• Data collected included age, sex, presentation, tumor location, treatment, response, recurrence, metastasis, and follow-up.
• Cases were treated at the Department of Radiation Oncology, Maulana Azad Medical College and Lok Nayak Hospital between January 1999 and December 2004.

Main Results:

• Eight males and one female diagnosed with chordoma, median age 52 years (range 34-68).
• Seven patients underwent subtotal or gross total resection; two had biopsy only. All received radiation therapy.
• Outcomes varied, with four deaths, one with distant metastases and local recurrence, two locally disease-free, and two lost to follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Chordoma management requires a multidisciplinary approach.
• Surgical resection followed by radiation therapy is a common treatment strategy.
• Further research is needed to optimize treatment outcomes for chordoma patients.