In the video below a diverse panel physicians and scientists answer 20 questions about chordoma posed by participants at the First Chordoma Community Conference.

Tip: you can watch answers to a specific question by clicking that question in the clip menu at the bottom the video player.

Questions

1. What causes Chordoma?
2. Are family members of chordoma patients at risk for this disease?
3. Where does 7 year survival statistic come from?
4. Is the age of diagnosis decreasing?
5. Why is Chemotherapy typically not effective for Chordoma?
6. When can we hope for an effective drug to treat Chordoma?
7. After having the tumor removed, should the symptoms go away?
8. What are signs of a recurrance?
9. Should radiation be given before or after surgery?
10. What are the differences between gamma knife, proton beam, and carbon ion radiation?
11. What are the recurrance rates with and without proton beam radiation?
12. What are the newest and most effective treatments for chordoma?
13. What are the side effects of proton beam radiation?
14. Why do radiation side effects frequently take so long to show up?
15. Can lifestyle changes reduce the risk of recurrances?
16. Why is it that some chordomas seem to come back more agressively after treatment?
17. What is a clinical trial?
18. Are some people on clinical trials given placebos, and if so why?
19. Are there ongoing clinical trials accruing chordoma patients?
20. How can I become part of a study?

Expert Panelists

Fran Hornicek, MD, PhD - Massachusetts General Hospital, Orthopaedic Surgery
Michael Kelley, MD - Duke University, Hematology and Oncology
Norbert Liebsch, MD, PhD - Massachusetts General Hospital, Radiation Oncology
Frank Lieberman, MD - University of Pittsburgh, Neuro-Oncology
Lilia Loredo, MD - Loma Linda Medical Center, Radiation Oncology
Deric Park, MD - University of Pittsburgh, Neurology & Neuro-Oncology
Dilys Parry, PhD - National Cancer Institute, Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics
Jean Paul Wolinsky, MD - Johns Hopkins University, Neurosurgery