Application of nomograms to predict overall and cancer-specific survival in patients with chordoma.

•Age of diagnosis, primary site, histology, tumor stage, use of surgery and tumor size were identified as independent prognostic factors for both overall and cancer-specific survival of chordoma patients.•The optimal age cutoff values of chordoma patients were 38, 54 and 66 years.•The optimal cutoff values of chordoma tumor size were identified as 2.9 and 10.0 cm.•The nomogram constructed in present study can serve as an effective and convenient evaluation tool to help surgeons to perform personalized survival evaluation and mortality risk identification in chordoma patients.