chordoma
Pronunciation: kor-DOH-mah
A rare malignant bone tumor arising from notochordal remnants, commonly affecting the spine and skull base.
Full Definition
Chordoma is a rare, slow-growing malignant tumor that develops from remnants of the embryonic notochord. These tumors most commonly occur at the extremes of the spinal column: the sacrococcygeal region (50%) and the skull base/upper cervical spine (35%), with mobile spine involvement being less common. Chordomas are characterized by their tendency for local recurrence and resistance to conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Treatment typically involves radical surgical resection with wide margins when possible, often requiring complex spinal reconstruction. High-dose radiation therapy may be used as an adjuvant treatment.
Usage
Usage note: Specify anatomical location (sacral, clival, mobile spine); emphasize importance of wide surgical margins.
In Context
- "MRI revealed a lobulated sacral chordoma with extension into the presacral space." — radiology report
- "En bloc resection was performed for the clival chordoma with skull base reconstruction." — operative report