Abstract | BACKGROUND:
Chordomas of the skull base are rare locally aggressive neoplasms with a predilection for encapsulating critical neurovascular structures, bony destruction and irregular growth patterns, and from which patients succumb to recurrence and treatment failures. METHODS: A review of the medical literature is performed, using standard search engines and identifying articles related to skull base chordomas, surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, molecular genetics, and prospective trials. RESULTS: A synthesis of the literature is presented, including sections on pathology, treatment, molecular genetics, challenges, and future directions. CONCLUSION: Beyond an understanding of the current treatment paradigms for skull base chordomas, the reader gains insight into the collaborative approach applied to orphan diseases, of which chordomas is a prime exemplar.
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Authors | Salvatore Di Maio, Esther Kong, Stephen Yip, Robert Rostomily |
Journal | Surgical neurology international
(Surg Neurol Int)
Vol. 4
Pg. 72
( 2013)
ISSN: 2229-5097 [Print] United States |
PMID | 23776758
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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