What is a spinal cord tumor?
A spinal cord tumor is an abnormal growth of cells that occurs at or within the spinal cord. Spinal cord tumors can be classified as benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). It is possible for tumors in other parts of your body to spread to your vertebrae. There are two main types of spinal cord tumors.
- Extramedullary tumors: The most common extramedullary tumors are meningiomas and schwannomas (metastatic cancer). They end up growing inside the spinal cord but outside of the spinal canal. It is likely that these types of tumors will most heavily affect the nerve roots.
- Intramedullary tumors: The most common intramedullary tumors include astrocytomas and ependymomas. These tumors are found and grow inside the spinal cord. Intramedullary tumors are often benign but have proven to be difficult to remove.
What causes spinal cord tumors?
There is not a definite cause of spinal cord tumors. Some spinal cord tumor cases are directly related to genetics while others have various causes such as being exposed to cancer-causing agents or having a compromised immune system. There have been limited cases of spinal cord tumors directly linked to those who have neurofibromatosis 2 or von Hippel-Lindau disease.
What are symptoms of a spinal cord tumor?
Every patient that’s diagnosed with a spinal cord tumor will likely have different symptoms at various severities. Your symptoms will also differ based on the placement and size of the tumor. Additionally, symptoms could change over time if your tumor continues to grow. Symptoms you could experience include but are not limited to:
- Back pain or stiffness (pain may radiate)
- Neck pain or stiffness (pain may radiate)
- Numbness or tingling
- Scoliosis
- Muscle weakness
- Bladder or bowel dysfunction
- Difficulties walking
- Lowered sensitivity to pain, cold and heat
How is a spinal cord tumor diagnosed?
When diagnosing a spinal cord tumor, it will start with a discussion of your medical history followed by a physical exam. If it’s determined that you may have a spinal cord tumor, your doctor will recommend additional testing to confirm and pinpoint the tumor location. The additional tests include:
- MRI or CT scans: these aid in seeing the tumor location and size.
- Biopsy: once the tumor is located, a biopsy will be taken to determine if the tumor is malignant or benign.
What are treatment options for a spinal cord tumor?
Your spinal cord tumor treatment options will vary depending on the location and size of the tumor as well as your current overall health.
If there are no symptoms, your doctor may recommend monitoring with periodic scans. Chemotherapy may be used on malignant tumors and may be combined with radiation. If complete removal of the tumor isn’t possible, radiation can be used to help shrink the tumor
When is surgery considered?
Surgery is typically the treatment of choice for spinal cord tumors. Surgery is more common for patients that have tumors that are resistant to radiation or have a shorter life expectancy. It is possible that full removal of the tumor will not happen due to the tumor location. If this is the case, surgery will likely be followed up with radiation and/or chemotherapy.
Due to advances in technology, your doctors will be able to monitor your nerves and spinal cord function while removing the tumor which helps to minimize the chance of any damage or injury from removal.
Recovering from surgery will take patience and time. This recovery process can take weeks to months depending on the procedure you had done and the severity and location of the tumor. Following your treatment, it may be recommended to see a Physical Therapist to help gain mobility and improve quality of life.