Silvia Berlucchi1, Davide Nasi2, Elena Zunarelli3, Adelaide Valluzzi1, Matteo Alicandri Ciufelli4, Livio Presutti4, Giacomo Pavesi1. 1. Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Neurosciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy. 2. Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Neurosciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy. Electronic address: davidenasi83@gmail.com. 3. Anatomic Pathology Unit, Department of Morphological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy. 4. Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Department, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Chordomas are rare primary tumors of the bone that arise from embryonic notochord. They are locally aggressive tumors with a high tendency for postsurgical recurrence. On the other hand, distant metastases are rare. When they occur, they involve lungs, liver, lymph nodes, and bones. Skin and subcutaneous tissue involvement is even rarer and usually occurs by direct extension of the primary tumor or by local recurrence. Distant cutaneous metastasis from chordoma is an exceptional finding, with fewer than 20 cases reported in the literature. All the cutaneous metastases described derive from sacral chordomas, except for 2 cases in which the source of metastasis is skull-base chordomas. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report the case of a 55-year-old man with skin metastasis from a cervical chordoma. CONCLUSIONS: Metastasis has to be taken into account in the differential diagnosis when a new skin lesion appears in a patient with a past medical history of chordoma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of cutaneous metastasis from spinal cervical chordoma. A systematic literature review was performed.
BACKGROUND:Chordomas are rare primary tumors of the bone that arise from embryonic notochord. They are locally aggressive tumors with a high tendency for postsurgical recurrence. On the other hand, distant metastases are rare. When they occur, they involve lungs, liver, lymph nodes, and bones. Skin and subcutaneous tissue involvement is even rarer and usually occurs by direct extension of the primary tumor or by local recurrence. Distant cutaneous metastasis from chordoma is an exceptional finding, with fewer than 20 cases reported in the literature. All the cutaneous metastases described derive from sacral chordomas, except for 2 cases in which the source of metastasis is skull-base chordomas. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report the case of a 55-year-old man with skin metastasis from a cervical chordoma. CONCLUSIONS: Metastasis has to be taken into account in the differential diagnosis when a new skin lesion appears in a patient with a past medical history of chordoma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of cutaneous metastasis from spinal cervical chordoma. A systematic literature review was performed.