Chordoma is a rare type of cancer that occurs in the bones of the skull and spine. It is part of a family of cancers called sarcoma, which include cancers of the bones, cartilage, muscles and other connective tissue.
Chordomas are thought to arise from remnants of the embryonic notochord, a rod-shaped, cartilage-like structure that serves as a scaffold for the formation of the spinal column. Notochord cells normally persist after birth lodged inside the spine and skull, and rarely these cells can undergo a malignant transformation that leads to the formation of a chordoma.
Chordomas are generally slow growing, but are relentless and tend to recur after treatment. Because of their proximity to critical structures such as they spinal cord, brainstem, nerves and arteries, they are difficult to treat and require highly specialized care.
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