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.
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.
Brain and Spinal Cancer Prognosis and Survival Rates
According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the average five-year survival rate for patients with a malignant brain or spinal tumor is 36%. The 10-year survival rate is about 31%.
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.
The majority of primary spinal column tumors are benign, with malignant tumors comprising only 20%. Overall, spine metastases are the most common malignant spine tumor, and these usually arise from primaries such as lung, breast, and prostate cancers.
He found a significant effect on mean survival time: patients scoring 7 or below lived an average of 5.3 months, while those scoring 8 or above lived an average of 23.6 months.
Surgery, using general anesthesia, is often effective in completely removing certain types of spinal cord tumors, such as ependymomas and hemangioblastomas.
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.
The most noticeable sign of spinal cancer is pain. Pain may come from the tumor's presence in the spinal column, pushing on sensitive nerve endings or causing spinal instability. When the spine is not lined up properly, other physically notable symptoms may result (e.g., changes in posture, Kyphosis or hunchback).
Sharp or shock-like pain.
Pain from a spinal tumor may be limited to a specific region in the back, or it could travel along a nerve root (radicular pain) or the spinal cord (myelopathic pain).
There are several types of masses that can be found in the spine: Some are malignant tumors (spinal cancer), which means they can spread to other areas of the body. Some are benign tumors, which means they are not aggressive and don't spread, but it doesn't mean they are harmless.
Nonsurgical treatment options include observation, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Tumors that are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and do not appear to be changing or progressing may be observed and monitored with regular MRIs. Some tumors respond well to chemotherapy and others to radiation therapy.
The cause of primary spinal tumors is unknown. Some primary spinal tumors occur with certain inherited gene mutations. Spinal tumors can be located: Inside the spinal cord (intramedullary)
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.
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.
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.
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.
The surgery itself can take from one hour to 10, depending on the complexity of the tumor and any surrounding tissues it may have grown into. Your neurosurgeon can give you a more accurate estimate of how long your surgery is expected to last. Once surgery is completed, you will be taken to a recovery area.
The recovery from the effects of the spinal tumor surgery itself is fairly standard and typically lasts about three to four weeks, no matter the type of tumor.
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.
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.
Overall, 1-year survival rates in surgery for spinal metastasis vary between 0 and 83%, depending on the primary cancer tissue type.
Spinal cancer is graded in the following ways: Grade 1 spinal cancer: The tumor grows slowly and rarely spreads into nearby tissues. It may be possible to completely remove the tumor with surgery. Grade 2 spinal cancer: The tumor grows slowly but may spread into nearby tissue or recur.
Spinal cord tumors and vertebral tumors can be cancerous or noncancerous, but either form can result in disability and even death.