Sacrococcygeal tumours: an unsolved problem

ABSTRACT

Sacrococcygeal tumors are rare and remain a difficult management problem. The present study was conducted to assess the results of treatment of five consecutive cases, one with schwannoma, one with malignant mesenchymoma and three with chordoma. Four patients were males [80%] and one female [20%]. The mean age was 48.2 years. Two patients had local tumor resection and two others had radical excision with sacrococcygectomy at S2 level. Three of these four patients received adjuvant radiotherapy. The fifth patient received palliative radiotherapy only. No operative deaths were encountered. Limited postoperative morbidity and excellent preservation of neurological function, including sphincter control, was achieved in three of the five patients. Local recurrence occurred in only one patient [schwannoma] and was cured with re-excision. Distant metastases were encountered in two patients [40%] and the 2-year disease-free survival rate was 60%. Based on these data, it may be concluded that radical surgical excision with adjuvant radiotherapy may achieve cure of patients with sacrococcygeal tumors