If a suspicious area is seen on an imaging study, a biopsy may be performed. This involves harvesting a small amount of tissue from the tumor or lesion. This tissue is then sent to a pathologist who will examine it and perform tests to determine whether the cellular structure is that of a benign or malignant tumor.
A benign tumor can often cause pain and discomfort because it pushes on the spinal cord or nerves. These tumors may cause back pain. Other symptoms can include inability to control the bowels or bladder, weak muscles that you can't seem to control, and an abnormal feeling in the legs.
Primary spinal tumors, which begin in your spine, are uncommon. Benign (noncancerous) primary spinal tumors account for 0.5% of all newly diagnosed tumors. Malignant (cancerous) primary spinal tumors are even less common.
Spinal tumors can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Primary tumors originate in the spine or spinal cord, and metastatic or secondary tumors result from cancer spreading from another site to the spine. Spinal tumors are referred to in two ways. By the region of the spine in which they occur.
A benign tumor is not cancerous and will not spread to other parts of the body. Examples of spinal tumors that are usually benign include neurofibromas, schwannomas, meningiomas, ependymomas, astrocytomas, hemangioblastomas, osteosarcomas, and osteoid osteomas.
Benign Spinal Column Tumors
Primary bone tumors are very rare and only up to 5% are located in the spine, with benign spinal tumors (80%) being more common than malignant spinal tumors (20%).
Metastatic spinal tumors are those that have spread to the spine from other areas of the body. If a tumor is able to spread, this usually means it is malignant. Between 30 and 70 percent of cancer patients develop metastatic spine cancer during the course of their disease.
What can you do? “Unfortunately, a CT scan is unable to show whether a nodule is benign or not,” says Dr. Wong. “It is important to be proactive about a nodule because earlier detection of lung cancer can make a huge difference in the outcome.”
Spinal tumors or growths of any kind can lead to pain, neurological problems and sometimes paralysis. A spinal tumor can be life-threatening and cause permanent disability. Treatment for a spinal tumor may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or other medications.
Some people live active and fulfilling lives with spinal tumors that don't grow or cause symptoms. In some cases, people with metastatic spinal tumors need to continue treatments, including chemotherapy or radiation, to keep the cancer from spreading to other parts of the body.
Surgery: Some spinal tumors can be removed by surgery. If the entire tumor cannot be removed, radiation therapy may be given after surgery to relieve pressure on the spinal cord. Radiation therapy: may be given alone or after surgery to relieve pressure on the spinal cord.
Almost 70 out of 100 people (almost 70%) with a grade 1 or grade 2 cranial meningioma survive their cancer for 10 years or more. Around 40 out of 100 people (around 40%) with a grade 3 meningioma survive their cancer or 10 years or more. These statistics for people with meningioma are for relative survival.
In adults, chordomas are the most common primary malignant spinal tumor. This tumor is found to occur in patients aged 30-70 years. Chordomas usually affect the low back (lumbar spine) and sacrum and when found, the tumor is usually very large.
MRI Scan. An MRI scan is the most reliable method of diagnosing spinal cord tumors, although additional tests are needed to confirm the type of tumor.
Ependymoma. An ependymoma is the most common type of spinal cord tumor. It begins in the ependymal cells, which line the central canal of the spinal cord and help to direct the flow of fluid in the spinal canal.
Primary tumors often progress slowly over weeks to years. Tumors in the spinal cord usually cause symptoms, sometimes over large portions of the body. Tumors outside the spinal cord may grow for a long time before causing nerve damage.
Most symptomatic spinal cord tumors require surgical removal which can typically be performed with small incisions on the back or neck and little bony disruption. Depending on the type of tumor, further treatment may be indicated, including radiation or chemotherapy.
MRI is very good at zeroing in on some kinds of cancers. By looking at your body with MRI, doctors may be able to see if a tumor is benign or cancerous. According to the World Health Organization, survival rates for many types of cancer are significantly higher with early detection.
Benign tumors can grow but do not spread. There is no way to tell from symptoms alone if a tumor is benign or malignant. Often an MRI scan can reveal the tumor type, but in many cases, a biopsy is required.
Using MRI, doctors can determine if a tumour exists, if it is benign (not cancerous) or if the tumour is malignant (cancerous.) MRI can also help show if cancer is spreading to other areas of the body. MRI scans can also help determine when patients no longer have cancerous cells following treatment.
Signs of a spinal tumor
Back pain that often radiates to other areas and worsens at night. Pain at the tumor site. Radiating numbness, tingling, or weakness. Less sensitivity to heat, cold, and pain.
The spinal bones (laminae) are removed to access the spinal canal. The tissue-lined compartment that contains the spinal cord and nerves that are surrounded by spinal fluid is called the dura. The surgeon opens the dura to expose the spinal cord and nerves and remove the tumor. Then the dura is then sutured and closed.
One of the main reasons other cancers are dangerous is that they can spread throughout the body. Tumors starting in the brain or spinal cord can spread to other parts of the central nervous system, but they almost never spread to other organs.
Intradural intramedullary tumors are the least common spinal tumors. In adults the most common tumor of this type is the ependymoma. This is followed by astrocytoma and hemangioblastoma.