Parapharyngeal chordoma

Abstract

Chordomas are rare tumours constituting less than one percent of all neoplasms affecting the Central Nervous System. They are some of the few malignant tumours originating from vestigial embryonic tissue which retain primitive histological features. The purpose of this paper is to report an unusual case of a chordoma arising in the region of the foramen magnum and extending laterally to present as a parapharyngeal tumour. Symptomatology varies with the site of origin of the tumour, but pain is the earliest and most common presenting symptom. Treatment is usually surgical and incomplete because of bone involvement at the time of diagnosis. High dosage radiotherapy has occasionally been used to control tumour residue in bone and recurrences.