Sacral Chordoma: Don’t throw away the Scalpel

Author(s): Aadit Shah, Ryan P Tantone, Matthew Berchuck

Sacral chordomas pose a difficult challenge for physicians due to the close proximity of neural, vascular, and visceral structures. Patients and physicians must weigh the risks and benefits of operative versus non operative management when deciding on treatment of these lesions. We report a complication of single dose intent to treat SBRT for a sacral chordoma that should serve to remind oncologists that radiation therapy, like surgery, is not without serious potential complications and that surgical resection may still be the best option for patients whose tumor can be treated with en bloc resection.