[Intracranial chordomas; histochemical and immunohistochemical examinations]

Chordoma is one of rare intracranial neoplasms (0.2-0.5%). Apart from classic chordoma in 1973 r. Heffelfinger and al. separated chondroid chordoma which showed better prognosis. We studied 4 classic and 3 chondroid intracranial chordomas. All tumours contained chondroitine sulfate and keratan sulfate and showed positive immunohistochemical reactions to cytokeratin, S-100 protein and vimentin, supporting the concept of common origin of both types of chordomas. Immunohistochemical studies of PCNA and Ki-67 antigen and staining AgNOR's did not show significant differences in the proliferative activity between both types chordomas what attests to biological malignancy.