Cordomas: estudo anátomo-clínico de 8 casos

Abstract

Eight patients with the diagnosis of chordoma during the period 1953 to 1985 were reviewed; 6 of them with tumor in the intracranial region, 1 in the cervical spine and 1 with probably sacrococygeal primary site. Clinical aspects
of physical and neurologic examination and diagnostic methods were analyzed. It is emphasized: the tumor's rarity, its predominancy in females and in the intracranial region, and its greater incidence in the third decade (average age: 31 years). The chordomas present multiform symptomatology,
depending on their site; although they are hystologically benign, the 5-year survival rate is low, due to their infiltrative behaviour, to the occurence of reincidence after surgery and/or radiation therapy and to eventual metastasis.