Multidisciplinary Planning for Treatment of Chordoma

Chordoma is a locally aggressive neoplasm primarily affecting the axial skeleton including the skull base, mobile spine, and sacrum. Given its low-grade nature, slow growth, and tumor location relative to critical neurologic and vascular structures, diagnosis and treatment can be difficult with high rates of recurrence, morbidity, and poor survival. When treating patients with chordoma, multidisciplinary involvement and coordination is essential from the time of diagnosis to final follow-up. Treatment teams are dependent on tumor location but often include pathologists, radiologists, medical oncologists, surgical oncologists, and surgical subspecialists, as well as a variety of patient support structures. Using a coordinated approach, multidisciplinary teams can develop patient-specific treatment algorithms that limit potential morbidity while ensuring the best opportunity for recurrence-free tumor control. As diagnostic and treatment options continue to evolve with the emergence of new technologies and research, so will the need for multidisciplinary coordination in treating chordoma.