What is a Spinal Tumor?

The spinal cord is a part of the central nervous system that provides communication between the brain and other organs with the help of nerves. It extends from the skull to the waist, inside the bone structure called the spine.

While transmitting the stimuli from the brain to the arms and legs or other organs, it also transmits the data from different organs to the brain in the same way. Disruption of these messages for various reasons can cause paralysis in the body.

Tumors occur as a result of uncontrolled reproduction and growth of certain cells in any tissue or organ of the body.

Spinal cord and spine tumors are tumors that form in the bones, nerves, or other soft tissues that make up the spine and spinal cord.

What Are the Symptoms of Spinal Tumors?

Spinal cord tumors can cause different signs and symptoms, especially as the tumors grow. Tumors can affect the spine or nerve roots, blood vessels, or bones of the spine. Signs and symptoms may include the following.

Pain at the tumor site due to tumor growth backache, usually spreading to other parts of your body, less sensitivity to pain, heat and cold, loss of bowel or bladder function, difficulty walking sometimes causing falls, backache that worsens at night, loss of sensation or muscle weakness, especially in the arms and legs, moderate to severe in different parts of your body or severe muscle weakness, back pain is a common early symptom of spinal cord tumors.

The pain may radiate beyond the back to your hips, legs, feet, or arms, and may worsen over time, even with treatment.

What are the Treatment Methods for Spinal Tumors?

Spinal cord tumors progress at different rates depending on the type of tumor. His treatment is quite specific. One of the most important issues is the pathological diagnosis of the tumor. In some cases the diagnosis is very simple and the treatment is well known. In other cases, extensive diagnostic studies may be required to diagnose the type of tumor. Three options are available for treatment: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

The choice of treatment depends on the sensitivity of the tumor to chemo and radiotherapy and whether it can be surgically removed. Primary spinal cord tumors are usually treated with surgery. It allows the elimination of the mass effect, obtaining tissue for pathological diagnosis and stabilization of the spine if necessary.

Benign tumors that are completely removed do not require additional treatment. The malignant tumor requires additional chemotherapy and radiation therapy after surgery. Treatment of metastatic tumors depends on the type and stage of the tumor. These patients were once considered inoperable. However, most of these patients survive with modern chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery methods.

The purpose of the operation is to reduce the pressure on the spinal cord and nerves and to ensure the stability of the spine.