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chordoma
EntityQ1076389· pop 14· linked from 83 articles

Also known as notochordoma, CHDM, CHORDOMA, SUSCEPTIBILITY TO, Notochordal sarcoma, susceptibility to chordoma, CHORDOMA, SUSCEPTIBILITY TO; CHDM, CHORDOMA, MALIGNANT

Chordoma is a rare slow-growing neoplasm (cancer) that arises from cellular remnants of the notochord in the bones of the skull base and spine. The evidence for the notochordal origin of chordoma is the location of the tumors (along the neuraxis), the similar immunohistochemical staining patterns, expression of brachyury, and the demonstration that notochordal cells are preferentially left behind in the clivus and sacrococcygeal regions when the remainder of the notochord regresses during fetal life.

Key facts

Medical condition.name
Chordoma
Medical condition.image
Chordoma.JPG
Medical condition.caption
MRI of extensive clival chordoma in 17-year-old male patient, axial view. Tumor in the nasopharynx extending from nasal cavity to brainstem posteriorly is clearly visible.

via Wikipedia infobox

Research

6,101 papers

via PubMed

~8 min read

Encyclopedic overview

11 sections
Contents
  • Presentation
  • Genetics
  • Mechanism
  • Diagnosis
  • Classification
  • Treatment
  • Prognosis
  • Epidemiology
  • Notable cases
  • References
  • External links

Chordoma is a rare slow-growing neoplasm (cancer) that arises from cellular remnants of the notochord in the bones of the skull base and spine. The evidence for the notochordal origin of chordoma is the location of the tumors (along the neuraxis), the similar immunohistochemical staining patterns, expression of brachyury, and the demonstration that notochordal cells are preferentially left behind in the clivus and sacrococcygeal regions when the remainder of the notochord regresses during fetal life.

In layman's terms, chordoma is a type of bone cancer, and is classified as a sarcoma. Chordomas are sometimes mistakenly referred to as brain, brainstem, or spinal-cord tumors due to their location near those critical structures, but they are not derived from nervous tissue.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “chordoma” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Gallery (4)