A historical recount of chordoma

Abstract

Chordoma, a rare bone tumor that occurs along the spine, has led scientists on a fascinating journey of discoveries. In this historical vignette, the authors track these discoveries in diagnosis and treatment, noting events and clinicians that played pivotal roles in our current understanding of chordoma. The study of chordoma begins in 1846 when Rudolf Virchow first observed its occurrence on a dorsum sellae; he coined the term “chordomata” 11 years later. The chordoma’s origin was greatly disputed by members of the scientific community. Eventually, Müller’s notochord hypothesis was accepted 36 years after its proposal. Chordomas were considered benign and slow growing until the early 1900s, when reported autopsy cases drew attention to their possible malignant nature. Between 1864 and 1919, the first-ever symptomatic descriptions of various forms of chordoma were reported, with the subsequent characterization of chordoma histology and the establishment of classification criteria shortly thereafter. The authors discuss the critical historical steps in diagnosis and treatment, as well as pioneering operations and treatment modalities, noting the physicians and cases responsible for advancing our understanding of chordoma.