Introduction: Chordomas of the mobile spine are rare malignant tumors. The purpose of this study was to review the outcomes of treatment for patients with recurrent mobile spine chordomas.
Methods: The oncologic outcomes and survival of 30 patients undergoing treatment of a recurrent mobile spine chordoma were assessed over a 24-year period. The mean follow-up was 3.5 years.
Results: In patients presenting with a recurrent mobile spine chordoma, the mean 2- and 5-year overall survival was 73% and 39%, respectively. Enneking appropriate resection trended toward improved overall survival at 5 years (100% vs. 32%, P = 0.24). Those undergoing surgical resection for recurrence had improved metastatic-free survival (hazard ratio 0.29, CI 0.08 to 0.99, P = 0.05). Positive margins were found to be a risk factor of further local recurrence (hazard ratio 7.92, CI 1.02 to 61.49, P = 0.04). Those undergoing nonsurgical management trended toward having an increase in new neurologic deficits (P = 0.09), however, there was no difference in overall complications based on treatment type (P = 0.13).
Conclusion: Recurrent mobile spine chordoma portends a poor prognosis with an overall survival of less than 40% at 5 years. Surgical resection may help prevent new neurologic deficits and tumor metastasis while en bloc excision with negative surgical margins is associated with improved local recurrence-free survival.
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