Chordomas: diagnosis and management.

Six patients with chordomas, five in the sacral and one in the craniocervical region, are reported along with review of the literature. Two of the patients treated with radiation for macroscopic tumor had palliation of their symptoms and an apparent prolongation of survival. Two other patients with sacral chordomas had resection of the gross tumor and radiation due to inadequate proximal margins. They both remain free of recurrence at 2.5 and 5 years, respectively, suggesting the potential usefulness of combination of modalities in the management of these tumors.