Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Head Neck 2022 Jun 23. Epub 2022 Jun 23.

QST Hospital, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan.

Background: Chordoma is a rare, locally invasive neoplasm of the axial skeleton. Complete resection is often difficult, especially for the upper-cervical (C1-2) spine. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT) for unresectable C1-2 chordoma. Read More

Curr Opin Oncol 2022 Jun 23. Epub 2022 Jun 23.

Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Purpose Of Review: The advances of molecular techniques have led to the refinement of the classification of mesenchymal tumors, leading to newly introduced entities in the recently published fifth edition of the WHO Classification of Soft Tissue and Bone Tumors, which are discussed in this review.

Recent Findings: For the first time, entities are included of which the name refers to the underlying molecular alteration including round cell sarcoma with EWSR1-non-ETS fusions, CIC-rearranged sarcoma, and sarcoma with BCOR genetic alteration. EWSR1-SMAD3-positive fibroblastic tumor and NTRK-rearranged spindle cell neoplasm are provisionally included as 'emerging' entities based on the underlying molecular alteration, though the entity still needs to be better defined. Read More

Indian J Radiol Imaging 2022 Mar 28;32(1):127-131. Epub 2022 Feb 28.

UOC Radiodiagnostica e Neuroradiologia, Dipartimento di Diagnostica per Immagini, Radioterapia, Oncologia ed Ematologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.

We present the first case of clival cystic chordoma with extradural location, transdural transgression, and moderate bone involvement in a 10-year-old girl. Chordoma showed unconventional appearances on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), due to cystic components, extradural space location with extensive intradural extension, moderate superficial bone involvement. Surgery confirmed the extradural location and histopathological examination revealed cystic chordoma. Read More

Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open 2022 May 16;10(5):e4329. Epub 2022 May 16.

Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.

Several reconstructive approaches have been described for reconstruction after sacral chordomas, classically myocutaneous flaps. Recently, postural muscle preservation techniques are preferred whenever possible. We present the case of a 70-year-old man who underwent en-bloc resection of a sacral chordoma resulting in a large three-dimensional defect. Read More

Front Oncol 2022 26;12:865865. Epub 2022 May 26.

Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China.

Objective: To improve the diagnosis and treatment of intracranial chondromas (ICDs) by discussing the clinical manifestations and imaging characteristics of ICDs, as well as surgical methods and treatment strategies.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 17 patients diagnosed with ICDs who underwent microsurgery or endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery at the Tangdu Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University and the Mianyang Central Hospital from January 2010 to November 2021. Clinical manifestations, imaging examinations, surgical treatments, and prognosis of these patients were analyzed. Read More

Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2022 Jun 12. Epub 2022 Jun 12.

Department of Medical Imaging, Veterinary Medical Center at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 3Z1, Canada.

A 7-year-old spayed female ferret was presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine for a slow-growing mass involving the base of the tail. Radiographs revealed a large, irregularly marginated mineralized mass centered on the fifth to seventh caudal vertebrae with osteolysis of the affected caudal vertebrae. A partial caudectomy was performed, and histopathology was consistent with a chordoma. Read More

No Shinkei Geka 2022 May;50(3):634-643

Department of Neurosurgery, Hôpital Lariboisière.

The extended endoscopic endonasal approach(EEA)has been expanding in recent years with the development of instruments and surgical techniques. Basically, sela, extradural, and intranasal lesions such as pituitary tumor, craniopharyngioma, chordoma, chondrosarcoma, and cholesterol granuloma are indicated. Intradural lesions or lesions that extend laterally or downward to the craniocervical junction are more difficult to operate. Read More

Eur Spine J 2022 Jun 1. Epub 2022 Jun 1.

Department of Radiology, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, People's Republic of China.

Purpose: Quantitative comparison of diffusion parameters from various models of diffusion-weighted (DWI) and diffusion kurtosis (DKI) imaging for distinguishing spinal metastases and chordomas.

Methods: DWI and DKI examinations were performed in 31 and 13 cases of spinal metastases and chordomas, respectively. DWI derived apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), true diffusion coefficient (D), pseudo diffusion coefficient (D*), perfusion fraction (f), water molecular distributed diffusion coefficient (DDC), and intravoxel water diffusion heterogeneity (α). Read More

Arkh Patol 2022 ;84(3):24-31

Polenov Neurosurgical Institute - the branch of Almazov National Medical Research Centre, St. Petersburg, Russia.

Objective: Assess the significance of chordoma as a neurosurgical pathology, taking into account the latest edition of the WHO classification of soft tissues and bone tumors (2020).

Material And Methods: An analysis of 28 chordomas was carried out. All chordomas were histologically verified, including using immunohistochemical markers of notochordal differentiation (S100, EMA, keratin, brachiuria protein). Read More

Cureus 2022 Apr 24;14(4):e24440. Epub 2022 Apr 24.

Ophthalmology, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, USA.

The optic nerve(s) may be compressed by a number of intracranial and intraorbital masses. Compression may be isolated to the optic nerve or may involve other intracranial or intraorbital structures with variable presentation. A 26-year-old man presented with complaints of progressive painless visual loss in the right eye for eight months. Read More

Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2022 Jul 26;164(7):1967-1972. Epub 2022 May 26.

Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China.

Background: The petrous apex is one of the most challenging areas of the skull base to access.

Method: We present a case of residual petrous apex chordoma posterolateral to the paraclival segment of the internal carotid artery (ICA) resected with combined endoscopic endonasal and contralateral transmaxillary (CTM) approaches, without lateralization of the ICA.

Conclusion: This case demonstrates the value of the CTM corridor in resecting petrous apex lesions that are posterolateral to the paraclival segment of the ICA. Read More

Cureus 2022 Apr 21;14(4):e24335. Epub 2022 Apr 21.

Radiology, Tata Main Hospital, Jamshedpur, IND.

Ecchordosis physaliphora (EP) is a notochordal remnant tissue rarely encountered during routine clinical practice. These lesions usually do not produce any significant symptoms as they are slow-growing and mostly small in size. Symptoms are due to mass effects on adjacent structures when they are large or extra-tumoral hemorrhage. Read More

J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev 2022 May 1;6(5). Epub 2022 May 1.

From the Department of Orthopaedics, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The aim of this study is to present a rare case of chordoma in the odontoid process in which the tumor involved the odontoid process and compressed the spinal cord at the craniocervical junction. We report on the effectiveness and successful outcome of anterior microscopic tumor resection combined with posterior occipitocervical fixation and review the current standard treatment. A 39-year-old man presented with sudden dyspnea and quadriparesis caused by an unknown tumor compression at C2. Read More

Phys Med Biol 2022 05 27;67(11). Epub 2022 May 27.

University of Pavia, Physics Department, Pavia, Italy.

The main objective of this work consists of applying, for the first time, the BIANCA (BIophysical ANalysis of Cell death and chromosome Aberrations) biophysical model to the RBE calculation for C-ion cancer patients, and comparing the outcomes with those obtained by the LEM I model, which is applied in clinics. Indeed, the continuous development of heavy-ion cancer therapy requires modelling of biological effects of ion beams on tumours and normal tissues. The relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of heavy ions is higher than that of protons, with a significant variation along the beam path. Read More

J Wound Care 2022 May;31(Sup5):S30-S32

Advent Health North Pinellas Wound Healing Institute of Trinity, New Port Richey, FL, US.

Chordoma is a rare form of cancer that forms from the notochord remnants, and affects the skull and the spine. The standard treatment for a sacrococcygeal chordoma is surgery and radiation. Chordoma has a high rate of recurrence and surgery with radiation treatment can leave patients with surgical site complications, such as wounds, fistulas or sinus tracts. Read More

Brain Tumor Res Treat 2022 Apr;10(2):123-128

Department of Cancer Control, National Cancer Center Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, Goyang, Korea.

Here, we report a rare case of L3 chordoma progressed to an intradural extramedullary (IDEM) mass and distant metastasis to the fascia lata. A 64-year old female patient presented to a local university hospital due to back pain and received excisional biopsy for a L3 destructive bony lesion. Local radiation therapy was initially administered, assuming a malignancy of unknown origin, but she developed cerebrospinal fluid leakage during adjuvant radiation therapy, which was managed by wound revision and lumbar drainage. Read More

JCO Oncol Pract 2022 05;18(5):e780-e785

Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.

Purpose: Community-academic partnerships have the potential to improve access to clinical trials for under-represented minority patients who more often receive cancer treatment in community settings. In 2017, the Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Center began opening investigator-initiated clinical trials in radiation oncology in targeted community-based partner sites with a high potential to improve diverse population accrual. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a set of implementation strategies for increasing overall community-based enrollment and the resulting proportional enrollment of Hispanic patients on trials on the basis of availability in community-based partner sites. Read More

Neurol India 2022 Mar-Apr;70(2):834-835

Department of Radiodiagnosis, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital; Consultant Radiologist, IVR Scans, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

Neurol India 2022 Mar-Apr;70(2):563-573

Department of Neurosurgery, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.

Background: The challenges associated with surgeries of cavernous sinus (CS) lesions have shifted the management trend towards upfront gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS). Although GKRS is effective in arresting the progression of certain small residual/recurrent lesions, its efficacy in alleviating neurological deficits is less evident. Furthermore, GKRS without establishing the histopathological diagnosis, at times can be detrimental. Read More

J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2022 May 3. Epub 2022 May 3.

From the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of California-San Francisco (UCSF) (Stroud, Geiger, Wustrack, and Theologis), the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, UCSF (Lichtensztajn, and Cheng), and the Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, UCSF, San Francisco, CA (Goldsby).

Introduction: Malignancies of the mobile spine carry high morbidity and mortality. This study sought to examine factors associated with receipt of "standard" treatment and survival for patients with primary mobile spine tumors in the California Cancer Registry (CCR).

Methods: The CCR (1988 to 2016) data were obtained for patients with primary tumors of the mobile spine and at least 1-year follow-up. Read More

J Neurooncol 2022 May 4;158(1):81-88. Epub 2022 May 4.

Department of Neurosurgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Purpose: Chordomas are malignant tumors that develop along the neuraxis between skull-base and sacrum. Chondrosarcomas show similarities with chordomas, yet show less malignant behavior. LIM and SH3 protein 1 (LASP1) is a cytoskeletal protein known to promote the malignant behavior of tumors. Read More

Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2022 Apr 28. Epub 2022 Apr 28.

Clinical Cooperation Unit Translational Radiation Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT), Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany; National Centre of Oncological Hadrontherapy (CNAO), Medical Physics, Pavia, Italy. Electronic address:

Purpose: To present biological dose optimization for particle arc therapy using helium and carbon ions.

Methods: Treatment plan planning and optimization procedures were developed for spot-scanning hadron arc (SHArc) delivery using the RayStation TPS and a GPU-accelerated dose engine (TPS-XXX). The SHArc optimization algorithm is applicable for charged particle beams and determines angle-dependencies for spot/energy selection with three main initiatives: i) achieve standard clinical optimization goals and constraints for target and OARs, ii) target dose robustness and iii) increasing LET in the target volume. Read More

Spine J 2022 Apr 22. Epub 2022 Apr 22.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Background Context: Local control remains a vexing problem in the management of chordoma despite advances in operative techniques and radiotherapy (RT) protocols. Existing studies show satisfactory local control rates with different treatment modalities. However, those studies with minimum follow-up more than 4 years demonstrate increasing rates of local failure. Read More

Front Biosci (Landmark Ed) 2022 04;27(4):122

The Mellanby Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, The University of Sheffield, S10 2RX, Sheffield, UK.

Primary bone cancers are rare malignant diseases with significant morbidity and mortality. The treatment regimen relies on a combination of surgery (often involving amputation), chemotherapy and radiotherapy with outcomes dependent on localization of the tumour, grade, size and response to chemotherapy. Both treatment options and survival statistics have remained constant over the past 40 years and alternative therapies need to be explored. Read More

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022 6;13:800923. Epub 2022 Apr 6.

Department of Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

Objective: Clival chordoma is a locally aggressive tumor with low metastatic potential. In the past decade, endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) for clival chordoma has had a higher resection rate and a lower morbidity rate than transcranial approaches. Here, we present our initial single-center experience after EEA of clival chordomas. Read More

J Korean Neurosurg Soc 2022 May 25;65(3):469-478. Epub 2022 Apr 25.

School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.

Objective: Cranial base chordomas are rare, but their treatment is challenging. Tumor recurrence is still common despite improvements in microsurgical techniques and postoperative radiotherapy. We retrospectively analyzed the course of treatment, overall survival, and recurrence/progression of chordomas over the past 10 years. Read More

J Neurooncol 2022 May 22;158(1):23-31. Epub 2022 Apr 22.

Department of Spine Surgery, Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da USP, São Paulo, Brazil.

Purpose: To report preliminary outcomes of high dose image-guided intensity modulated radiotherapy (IG-IMRT) in the treatment of chordomas of the sacrum, mobile spine and skull base.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of chordoma patients treated with surgery and/or radiotherapy (RT) in a single tertiary cancer center. Initial treatment was categorized as (A) Adjuvant or definitive high-dose RT (78 Gy/39fx or 24 Gy/1fx) vs (B) surgery-only or low dose RT. Read More

Curr Oncol 2022 03 28;29(4):2364-2375. Epub 2022 Mar 28.

Department of Neurosurgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, 6229 HX Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Background: Chordoma are rare tumors of the axial skeleton. The treatment gold standard is surgery, followed by particle radiotherapy. Total resection is usually not achievable in skull base chordoma (SBC) and high recurrence rates are reported. Read More