Chordoma
Chordoma is a very rare form of bone cancer that affects the spine and skull. The cancer affects 1 in a million people every year. Chordoma tumors affect 300 Americans and 700 Europeans yearly. The average age of sufferers is individuals in their 50s and 60s. However, Chordoma can affect any person at any age. The cancer develops from minuscule remains of cartilage that has been left behind when a patient was in utero. According to research, Chordoma isn’t caused by genetics. The condition is part of malignant soft tissue and bone tumors referred to as sarcomas.
Chordoma grows slowly but aggressively causing neck pain, headaches, double vision, loss of bladder/bowel function and tingling sensations in the legs and arms. It accounts for 20% of primary spinal tumors and 3% of all bone tumors. Rarity aside, Chordoma is the most common tumor affecting the cervical spine and sacrum.
Treatment
Treating chordoma is difficult since it involves critical body structures such as the spinal cord, brainstem and important arteries and nerves. Furthermore, the tumors tend to reoccur on the same location after treatment. Approximately 30-40% of all patients have the tumors spreading to other areas making this type of cancer extremely dangerous.
Chordoma tumors don’t respond well to radiation, chemotherapy or medication. The best treatment is surgery. However, the procedure is extremely risky since the tumors grow on the spine or around crucial nerves which means surgeons are only able to remove the tumors partially increasing the chances of a reoccurrence.
