Chordoid glioma: a case report and literature review.

Background: chordoid glioma is a rare tumor (World Health Organization grade II) with both glial and chordoid features, often located in the suprasellar region and anterior third ventricle. It was first described by Brat in 1998. Because there is no detailed information available from the clinical perspective, we reviewed the literature.

Methods: a literature search through PUBMED and CNKI revealed 64 cases of chordoid glioma. Information on the clinical course was very limited. We reviewed the literature and studied the pathologic and imaging features, postoperative mortality and morbidity in relation to surgical extension and approaches, and the importance of adjuvant treatment.

Conclusions: mortality in the immediate postoperative period is 28%, and postoperative morbidity is 60%, which are statistically higher after gross total resection as compared with subtotal resection. Translamina terminalis approach is considered to be the best approach. The current study cannot document that patients have longer survival and higher quality of life after gross total resection than subtotal resection. The role of postoperative radiotherapy is uncertain and there is no report on the use of chemotherapy. More information about the optimal treatment strategy is needed.