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Clinical and pathologic review of 48 cases of chordoma
Author(s) -
Rich Tyvin A,
Schiller Alan,
Suit Herman D.,
Mankin Henry J.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19850701)56:1<182::aid-cncr2820560131>3.0.co;2-j
Subject(s) - medicine , chordoma , surgery , radiation therapy , radical surgery , base of skull , skull , survival rate , biopsy , radiology , cancer
The results of treatment of 48 patients with the diagnosis of chordoma during the period 1931 to 1981 at the Massachusetts General Hospital were reviewed. Fourteen patients were treated with surgery alone: eight patients with primary tumors in the sacrococcygeal region were treated with radical surgery and four are alive with no evidence of disease (NED) with follow‐up of 8 to 20 years. Recurrent tumors in six patients were treated with surgery alone resulting in long palliation (3–25 years). The actuarial survival rate at 5 years for all patients treated with surgery was 76%. Radiation therapy was used in patients after either a biopsy (15), partial excision (17), or before radical excision in 2 patients. To achieve a worthwhile level of palliation, doses greater than 4000 cGy were required. High‐dose levels (>6500 cGy) were achieved in nine cases by a combination of photon and 160 MeV proton beams. The results to date of this approach for lesions of the base of skull and cervical vertebral body are encouraging: high local control and low morbidity. The 5‐year actuarial survival rate of all patients treated with radiation was 50%.