My type of cancer is called Chordoma. What the heck is that? That’s what I said when they told me! Chordoma is a rare malignant (cancerous) bone tumor that forms in your spine or the base of your skull. Chordomas typically grow slowly, but they can be difficult to treat due to how they invade nearby nervous system tissue. So that’s why I lost the ability to walk on July 28, 2024. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes three distinct types of chordoma based on what the cells look like under a microscope: Classic/conventional chordoma, Dedifferentiated chordoma, Poorly differentiated chordoma. So which one do I have? Poorly differentiated chordoma: This type is very rare. There have been fewer than 60 cases recorded in medical literature. Poorly differentiated chordoma is characterized by the deletion of a gene called SMARCB1, or INI1. These chordomas most commonly affect children and young adults. Of course I would have the rarest type! Chordomas can develop in anyone at any age, but they’re most likely to occur in adults aged 50 to 80. Chordomas are rare. They affect about 1 person for every 1 million people per year. That means that about 300 people receive a chordoma diagnosis each year in the United States. Can you believe that I fall into this category with my cancer? Go figure! The go-to treatment option for chordoma is surgery. Total surgical removal of the tumor has the best chance of prolonging survival. However, this is often difficult due to the location of the tumors. Your healthcare team might recommend radiation therapy after surgery to lower the chance that the tumor will grow back. Yup, You guessed it! I’ve had two major surgeries in 3 weeks and now waiting to heal for the next step…radiation treatment! There’s nothing you can do to prevent developing chordoma. Most cases happen randomly. So you are probably asking yourself, “what can I do to help?” You can help me and my family in this fight by donating. My treatment is going to be long and costly. We can use any help offered. Thanks for being a part of my team! Alexandria “Alex” Washington