A chordoma is a rare type of bone cancer that starts in your spine or the base of your skull. About 35 percent of these types of cancers develop in the skull base, where they are called clival chordomas.
Chordomas usually grow slowly but can be hard to treat because they often grow into nervous system tissue. They also often come back after treatment.
Chordomas affect about one in every one million people in the U.S. each year, and are more likely to occur in people ages 50 to 80 and in men.
Symptoms of a skulls base chordoma include:
- Pain, weakness, and numbness in your limbs or back
- Double or blurry vision
- Headaches
- Facial pain
Departments and Programs Who Treat This Condition
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Cancer Center
The Cancer Center’s experienced specialists combine their skills to create a personalized plan that takes all your needs into account. Our comprehensive, multi-specialty team appr…
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Sarcoma Program
Welcome to the Sarcoma Program at BMC. Our expert, multidisciplinary program treats all types of sarcomas, which cancer cells grow in tissues like bone, muscle, tendons, blood ves…
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Neurosurgery
We provide comprehensive surgical treatment of the spine for trauma, degenerative conditions, congenital problems, and more. Our surgeons are experts in less invasive surgical tec…
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Skull Base Surgery
Our neurosurgeons treat both cancerous and benign skull base tumors, offering the latest surgeries, as well as non-surgical options, to help you achieve your best quality of life.