What does a chordoma feel like?
These symptoms can include tingling, numbness, weakness, lack of bladder or bowel control, sexual dysfunction, vision problems, endocrine problems and swallowing difficulties. If the chordoma has grown very large, you may be able to feel a lump.
What is the survival rate of chordoma?
Chordomas are malignant and potentially life threatening tumors. Currently the median survival in the United States is about 7 years. The overall survival rates are 68% at 5 years and 40% at 10 years.
What type of cancer causes tailbone pain?
Tailbone pain may stem from chordoma, a rare, cancerous tumor that develops in your spine, the base of your skull, or your tailbone. As the mass grows, it can cause pain.
How do you detect chordoma?
How is a chordoma diagnosed? Sometimes, especially at the base of the spine, a lump will be found. In other cases, lesions show up on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. A biopsy will be done to diagnose a chordoma and to differentiate it from other types of tumors.
Is chordoma hard or soft?
Chordomas can be difficult to treat because they grow on the spine, near important tissues like nerves and blood vessels. It can be hard to get all of the tumor out of your spine without hurting the healthy parts of your body.
What is the best treatment for chordoma?
In most cases, surgery is recommended as the main treatment for chordoma. Radiation therapy is generally recommended after surgery to kill any remaining tumor cells. At times radiation is given before surgery to reduce the risk of the tumor spreading during surgery.
How common is chordoma?
Chordomas account for approximately 1-4% of all malignant bone tumors and around 20% of primary tumors of the spinal column. The incidence of chordoma is estimated to be approximately 1 per 1,000,000 people. About 300 new cases of chordoma are diagnosed in the United States each year.
What are the symptoms of chordoma near the tailbone?
When chordoma starts at the base of the skull you may have headaches or double vision. Chordoma near the tailbone can cause pain down your legs and trouble controlling your bladder or bowels. Imaging: When you have symptoms of chordoma, your doctor will take an image of your spine using an MRI to look at the size of the tumor and where it is.
Where does a chordoma occur in the spinal cord?
Spinal cord tumor. Chordoma. A chordoma is a rare cancerous (malignant) primary bone tumor that usually occurs along the spine or where the skull sits atop the spine (skull base).
Can a tumor on the tailbone cause pain?
The symptoms of a vertebral tumor on the tailbone are basically the same as for chordoma. Some people with colon cancer feel pain in their tailbone. Other symptoms include:
Where do chordomas grow in the human body?
A chordoma is a rare type of cancerous tumor that can occur anywhere along the spine, from the base of the skull to the tailbone. Chordomas grow slowly, gradually extending into the bone and soft tissue around them.