Primary Nasopharyngeal Chordoma: A Case Report

Kim, Yong Dae; Woo, Hyun Jae; Lee, Hyung Joong; Yoon, Seok Keun

Abstract

Chordomas arise mainly in the sacrococcygeal region, and to a lesser extent, in the spheno-occipital region. When occurring in the latter region, they may protrude into nasopharynx and rarely into the sinonasal tract, mainly sphenoid sinus. Histologically, the vacuolated physaliphorous cell is pathognomonic. This tumor is histologically benign but locally aggressive and often far advanced at the time of presentation. The current treatment is applying surgical excision with/without postoperative radiation. Since its first report in 1987, there have a several reports of primary nasopharyngeal chordoma throughout the world. In Korea, one case of sphenoidal chordoma was reported in 1993, but there had been no report of primary nasopharyngeal chordoma. We report a recent case of primary nasopharyngeal chordoma we have treated by transnasal endoscopic surgical excision and present a review of the literature.