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Chordoma Cutis: An Unusual Malignant Tumor Metastatic to Skin
Author(s) -
Rubin A.,
Bagel J.,
Niedt G.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of cutaneous pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.597
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1600-0560
pISSN - 0303-6987
DOI - 10.1111/j.0303-6987.2005.320gf.x
Subject(s) - medicine , chordoma , pathology , nodule (geology) , metastasis , biopsy , scalp , dermatology , cancer , paleontology , biology
A seventy‐year‐old woman developed back pain associated with a sacral mass seven years prior to presentation. Biopsy of the sacral mass showed chordoma. The patient underwent two surgical resections because of recurrent disease. She presented after developing a firm, non‐tender skin nodule on the left back. Biopsy of the lesion showed a dermal neoplasm composed of nests of cells in a mucinous stroma. There was moderate cytologic atypia of the cells, and occasional mitotic figures were seen. Physaliphorous cells were present. The immunostains S‐100, cytokeratin, and EMA were all positive. A diagnosis of metastatic chordoma to the skin or chordoma cutis was made. The patient died 15 months later from complications of metastatic disease. Chordomas are rare, representing only 1–4% of malignant bone tumors, which most often occur in the sacral area. Metastasis to the skin is unusual. In one study, 207 cases of chordoma were evaluated, and only 19 had skin involvement. Chordoma cutis has been described as nodules which are firm, blue domed, cystic‐appearing, erythematous, translucent, flesh‐colored, and reddish brown. Cutaneous metastasis of chordoma has been reported to the nose, chest, back, thigh, shoulders, left arm, face, neck, and scalp.