​Chordoma Tumors

Diagnosing Chordoma

Early diagnosis of chordoma may prevent serious complications.

Your doctor will:

• Ask you about your symptoms
• Perform a physical exam
• Order imaging tests

Symptoms of chordoma in the skull base

Skull base chordoma symptoms may include:

• Headache
• Double vision
• Facial pain
• Changes in hearing
• Difficulty swallowing

Imaging and radiology tests for diagnosing chordoma tumors

In addition to a physical exam, your doctor may request imaging tests, such as MRI or CT scans.

Chordoma Treatments

Three standard treatments for skull base chordoma are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

The neurosurgical team at UPMC may recommend one or a combination of these treatments. The high recurrence rate of these tumors requires frequent follow-up and monitoring.

Chordoma surgery

Chordoma surgery is the main type of treatment for bone cancers. The type of surgical procedure depends on the size and location of the tumor.

Chordomas of the skull base may be approached directly using the Endoscopic Endonasal Approach (EEA).This state-of-the-art, minimally invasive treatment approach allows surgeons to access the tumor through the natural corridor of the nose, without making an open incision. Surgeons then remove the chordoma through the nose and nasal cavities.

EEA offers the benefits of no incisions to heal, no disfigurement, and a faster recovery time.

If you need complementary treatments, such as radiation, those therapies can begin soon after EEA surgery.

Radiation therapy for chordomas

Your doctor may deliver radiation therapy:

• Externally, by directing radiation at the chordoma from an outside source.
• Internally, by placing radioactive material directly in the body near the chordoma tumor.
• Using stereotactic radiosurgery, by sending a concentrated dose of radiation directly to tumor.

The preferred type of radiation treatment for chordomas is proton beam radiation.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses drugs to stop cancer cells from growing.

Depending on the type and stage of the cancer, chemotherapy may be taken by mouth, injected, or placed directly into the tumor site.

Modern chemotherapy for chordomas is under investigation at UPMC.