Chordoma: a case report.
BACKGROUND
Chordomas are tumors of notochordal origin that account for approximately 1%-4% of all primary malignant bone tumors. The majority of patients with chordomas have a poor surgical prognosis due to extent of disease at diagnosis. These lesions have been previously classified based solely on their location.


METHODS
We describe here a case report of a posterior epidural C5-T1 chordoma that was discovered in a young patient who presented with weakness and paresthesia in all four extremities. This lesion was notable for its extraosseous and extradural characteristics.


RESULTS
C5-T1 laminectomy with gross total resection of the mass led to complete resolution of all symptoms. There has been no evidence of tumor recurrence to date.


CONCLUSIONS
We propose here a new classification system for chordomas that emphasizes the difference in resectability of these lesions depending on the space they occupy and the presence or absence of an osseous connection.
Jallo
J
J
Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19146, USA.
Nathan
D
D
Bierbrauer
K
K
Farber
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology; D002817:Chordoma / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology