Sacral chordoma: a diagnosis not to be sat on?

Sacral chordomas are rare, slow-growing tumours that are amenable to surgery, but unfortunately often diagnosed late. The aim of the study was to identify presenting symptoms, which may aid diagnosis and reduce the treatment time. Forty-four patients were identified with sacral chordoma between 1989 and 2006. Clinical and pathological records were reviewed retrospectively to elicit the symptoms recorded prior to diagnosis, duration of symptoms, surgical treatment, size of tumour and survival. Eleven patients were excluded, leaving 33 patients in the study group. Thirty-one patients had chordomas arising from the sacrum and two patients from the coccyx. The mean duration of symptoms prior to diagnosis was 120 weeks (2.3 years), with a median of length of 104 weeks (two years) and range of 26 to 416 weeks (0.5 to eight years). The mean maximum tumour size at resection was 8.3 cm, with a mean volume of 614 cm(3) (range 9-2,113 cm(3)). Pain, typically dull and worse with sitting, was the most common presenting symptom in 85% of patients. The classic symptoms of cauda equina (saddle anaesthesia, bladder or bowel dysfunction) occurred in 70% patients (23 patients). Sacral chordoma should be considered in cases of back pain with coccydynia, especially with neurological symptoms.