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Spinal
Tumors
Overview/Definition
Symptoms
Potential Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment Options
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Overview/Definition
Spinal tumors, also called neoplasms, are abnormal growths of tissue found
inside the spinal column. Spinal tumors that result from cancer spreading
from other parts of the body are called secondary, or metastatic, tumors.
Tumors that originate in the spine, known as primary tumors, are very rare.
Primary tumors can be either benign or malignant. Although benign tumors
can cause pain and damage bone tissue, they are not as serious as malignant
tumors, which can cancer to other parts of the body. Secondary tumors, which
have already spread from elsewhere in the body to the spine, are by definition
always malignant.
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Symptoms
Spinal cord tumors may cause pain, sensory changes, and motor problems. Nerve
pain in the leg may indicate a problem in the spine at the nerve’s
origin. Tumors may also cause weakness or loss of sensation in the extremities.
Given the relative infrequency of spinal tumors, however, these types of
symptoms more commonly result from degenerative
disc disease, or other, more
common problems.
The primary symptom of a spinal tumor, and the one that brings most patients
to seek medical advice, is non-mechanical back pain (back pain not associated
with any particular activities). While mechanical back pain due to muscle
strains or disc injury usually worsens with activities such as sitting, bending,
and walking and improves with rest or lying down, non-mechanical back pain
is constant. Rest or lying down offers little or no relief; in fact, non-mechanical
back pain may occur more frequently at night. Other symptoms of spinal tumors
include sciatica, numbness, partial paralysis, spinal deformity (kyphosis,
etc.), difficulty with bladder control, and fever.
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Potential
Causes
The cause of most primary tumors is unknown. However, given the higher incidence
of primary spinal tumors in certain familial groups, a genetic predisposition
is likely. In a small number of people, primary tumors may result from a
specific genetic disease (e.g., neurofibromatosis) or from exposure to cancer-causing
agents.
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Diagnosis
Following a neurological exam, the most common tests for spinal tumors--X-rays,
MRI and/or CT scan, and a (closed) biopsy--may be necessary before planning
definitive treatment.
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Treatment
Options
The three most common treatments for spinal tumors are surgery, radiation
and chemotherapy. Your doctor may also prescribe steroids to reduce swelling
inside the central nervous system. The proper choice for you will depend
on your specific diagnosis. Choosing the right treatment option will often
require consultation among the various doctors caring for you.
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