Radiation Therapy for Chordomas and Chondrosarcomas of the Skull Base: Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Treatment Methods (Review).

Chordomas and chondrosarcomas of the skull base are rare tumors. They are located in close proximity to critical structures, which poses a serious problem in the treatment of these tumors. Despite advances in surgery, radical resection is often not possible. Radiation therapy for chordomas and chondrosarcomas of the skull base is able to improve overall survival and local control. The aim of this review is to analyze the literature data and evaluate the efficacy of radiation therapy techniques for chordomas and chondrosarcomas of the skull base. The most promising methods of radiation therapy for chordomas and chondrosarcomas of the skull base have been shown to be pencil-beam scanning proton therapy with intensity modulation and carbon ion therapy. These techniques have demonstrated high local control and overall survival with a low incidence of severe radiation-induced toxicity, which confirms their clinical benefits. It has also been found that stereotactic radiosurgery can be effectively used for small tumors (less than 7 cm3).