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Cervical (neck), thoracic (upper back) and lumbar (lower back) tumors can be benign or malignant. Tumors are abnormal masses of tissue made up of cells that grow and divide more than they should or that fail to die when they should.
If a tumor is benign, it means it is non-cancerous, and it does not spread or invade other tissue. A malignant tumor, on the other hand, is cancerous.
There are various types of tumors that affect the spine both in the bone or within the cord. One way that tumors can be classified is based on their physical location.
An extradural tumor is one that forms outside the spinal cord’s protective layer. These tumors tend to be metastatic and have spread from other cancerous tumors in the body.
Intradural-extramedullary tumors grow under the spinal column’s protective layer but do not grow in the spinal cord itself. These tumors tend to be benign, growing slowly but still causing pain and weakness. Some common types of intradural-extramedullary tumors are:
Intramedullary tumors grow inside the spinal cord. They usually arise from the cells that offer insulation and physical support to the nervous system, called glial cells. They tend to occur in the cervical spine (neck) and are usually benign, though removing them can be complex.
Further, tumors can be primary or secondary. A primary spinal tumor originates in the spine. It can grow in the bones, nerves, and other components of the spine. These occur most often in younger people and are usually benign.
The most common benign primary spinal tumors are hemangiomas. Malignant primary tumors in the spine include osteosarcomas and multiple myelomas.
Secondary tumors are those that have spread from other regions in the body. They are the most common types of tumors in the spine and can rapidly spread. Cancerous cells from the prostate, breasts, and lungs are the most likely to spread to the spine.
Similar to other problems associated with spine, tumors can present in various manners. These include:
The most appropriate treatment of tumors depends on many factors, including associated medical conditions, patient’s age, the type of tumor, its location, the severity of symptoms, and the severity of damage to the spine.
In many cases tumors of the spine can cause instability, so surgery is usually required for resection of the mass, neurologic decompression as well as instrumented fusion for stabilization of spine, along with chemotherapy and/or radiation.
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