Sacral chordoma: A rare tumour of the buttocks

Introduction. - Described and recognized for the first time as a pathological entity by Virchow in 1857, chordoma is a tumour of embryonic origin secondary to an attack of the notochord. In most cases it is asymptomatic, resulting in fairly late diagnosis. Patients and methods. - We report the case of a 62-year-old patient presenting a bulky tumefaction, nodular in places, not very painful, and extending towards the anal area, scrotum and the posterior aspect of the upper left thigh. Histopathological examination of a macrobiopsy sample of this tumefaction pointed to chordoma. On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the tumour presented multiple ramifications extending towards the scrotal area, the sciatic area and the posterior aspect of the left thigh. Palliative tumorectomy was performed. Given the very slow progression of the tumour and the risk of adverse effects in such a large tumoral exposure field, radiotherapy was ruled out. Discussion. - This is a typical observation of a rare tumour that dermatologists may encounter. (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.