CHORDOMA OF THE CRANIAL BASE - THE MCGILL EXPERIENCE

Cranial base chordoma, a rare, usually slow-growing tumour of bone tho ught: to arise in notochord remnants, presents itself when its growth in the spheno-occiput results in cranial nerve compression or an obvio us nasopharyngeal mass. The present review of 11 cases of cranial base chordoma encountered at three McGill University teaching hospitals fr om 1979 until 1992 examines presentation, radiologic findings, patholo gy, treatment, and outcome. A literature review surveys chordoma with regard to epidemiology, diagnosis, efficacy of medical and surgical mo dalities on tumour control, and survival. Discussion focuses on curren t therapeutic options relative to histopathologic characteristics of c hordoma, and whether or not these may be used to predict course of dis ease and outcome.