Spinal cord tumors can be serious because the spinal cord is encased in the hard and bony spinal column, and any abnormal growths can add pressure to the cord, causing problems with functioning. These tumors can occur at any age, but they are most often diagnosed in young to middle-aged adults, according to Mayo Clinic.
Significance
Many statistics for spinal cord tumors are combined with those for brain tumors, since the two are typically linked together as central nervous system tumors, but the University of California San Francisco Medical Center estimates that primary spinal cord tumors account for only 0.5 percent of all newly diagnosed cancers.
Types
Spinal tumors can be noncancerous, also known as benign, or cancerous. According to the Merck Manual, tumors that originate in or outside of the spinal cord are primary spinal cord tumors, and tumors on the spine that are due to other cancers that have metastasized are secondary spinal cord tumors. The majority of primary spinal cord tumors start in the cells around the spinal cord; nearly 90 percent of spinal cord tumors are of this type, says the Merck Manual. The remaining 10 percent start in the cells inside the spinal cord.
Symptoms
According to the UCSF Medical Center, spinal cord tumors on the outside of the spinal cord typically do not cause symptoms until they have significantly developed, whereas tumors inside the spinal cord cause symptoms that are more easily detected. Symptoms of spinal cord tumors include back pain, loss of bowel control, problems walking, weakness in the legs, and a cold feeling in the arms, legs or hands.
Diagnosis
Since the symptoms of a spinal cord tumor are similar to those of other neurological problems, an accurate diagnosis is necessary. Diagnosing a spinal cord tumor can be done by MRI, CT scan and a special kind of X-ray called a myelogram, in which dye is injected into the spinal cord such that any abnormalities show up during the imaging test. According to the Mayo Clinic, results are typically available within 24 hours, allowing a biopsy to be performed quickly if a tumor is found, so that tissue testing can be done to identify the type of tumor.
Treatment
Spinal cord tumors can be treated in a variety of ways, depending on how fast the tumors are growing and whether they are causing any symptoms. If a tumor is slow-growing and not causing any symptoms, observation might be an option, to avoid invasive treatment until necessary. Surgery is a typical treatment option when the removal of the tumor will not cause added neurological problems, according to the Mayo Clinic. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are often used together or in conjunction with surgery, depending on the size of the tumor and whether surgery was able to remove all visible cancer.
