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.
“Spinal cord tumors usually grow slowly,” adds Neil Malhotra, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Penn Medicine. “Many patients will have mixed sets of symptoms.” This can lengthen the diagnosis process as well.
Back pain is a common early symptom of spinal tumors. Pain may also spread beyond your back to your hips, legs, feet or arms and may worsen over time — even with treatment. Spinal tumors progress at different rates depending on the type of tumor.
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.
Almost 70 out of 100 people (almost 70%) survive for 1 year or more after diagnosis. Around 40 out of 100 people (around 40%) survive for 5 years or more after diagnosis.
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%.
Non-mechanical back pain, especially in the middle or lower back, is the most frequent symptom of both benign and malignant spinal tumors. This back pain is not specifically attributed to injury, stress or physical activity. However, the pain may increase with activity and can be worse at night when lying down.
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.
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.
Primary spinal cancer develops from cells within the spinal cord or in the surrounding structure of bones, tissues, fluid and nerves. Along with the brain, the spinal cord forms part of the central nervous (CNS).
An MRI scan is the most reliable method of diagnosing spinal cord tumors, although additional tests are needed to confirm the type of tumor.
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.
Blood tests are not used to diagnose brain or spinal cord tumours. However, they are routinely done to provide a baseline before any planned treatment. They can provide helpful information about your general health, how other organs are functioning, other medical conditions and the possible risks of treatment.
In patients with many spinal metastases, a chance for cure is unfortunately unlikely. However, spinal metastases can be controlled, either temporarily or indefinitely, with treatments such as surgical resection, stereotactic radiosurgery, fractionated radiation and chemotherapy.
They commonly form in the base of your spine (sacrum) and your tailbone (coccyx). Ependymoma: This is a tumor that develops in the lining of your spinal fluid passageways in your brain and spinal cord.
Overall, 1-year survival rates in surgery for spinal metastasis vary between 0 and 83%, depending on the primary cancer tissue type.
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.
There are a wide range of lesions occurring in the spinal cord which can mimic tumors. This includes vascular lesions, inflammatory/demyelinating disease, sarcoid, and CSF flow abnormalities.
Spinal tumor pain typically does not diminish with rest or activity avoidance, and it may intensify at night, causing disturbed sleep.
Median survival of patients with spinal metastatic disease is 10 months. Spinal metastasis is one of the leading causes of morbidity in cancer patients. It causes pain, fracture, mechanical instability, or neurological deficits such as paralysis and/or bowel and bladder dysfunction.
Spine Disorders
Thus, surgical resection (removal of the tumor) may often be the preferred treatment for a spinal cord tumor. Spinal cord tumor resection is performed for both adult and pediatric patients who have tumors on the spinal cord.
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.