Spinal cord tumor
A spinal tumor is a growth that develops within your spinal canal or within the bones of your spine. A spinal cord tumor also called an intradural tumor, is a spinal tumor that begins within the spinal cord or the covering of the spinal cord (dura). A tumor that affects the bones of the spine (vertebrae) is called a vertebral tumor.
Spinal cord tumors may be classified as one of three different types depending on where they occur relative to the protective membranes of the spinal cord.
These are the main types of intradural tumors:
1- Intramedullary tumors: begin in the cells within the spinal cord itself, such as gliomas, astrocytomas, or ependymomas.
2- Extramedullary tumors: Grow in either the membrane surrounding the spinal cord or the nerve roots that reach out from the spinal cord. Although they don't begin within the spinal cord itself, these types of tumors may affect spinal cord function by causing spinal cord compression and other problems. Extramedullary tumors that can affect the spinal cord include meningiomas, neurofibromas, schwannomas, and nerve sheat tumors.
Tumors from other parts of the body can spread (metastasize) to the vertebrae, the supporting network around the spinal cord, or, in rare cases, the spinal cord itself.
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.
types:
- Astrocytoma
- Chordoma
- Ependymoma
- Glioma
- Meningioma
- Neurofibroma
- Schwannoma
Symptoms:
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. Pain may spread beyond the back to the hips, legs, feet, or arms and may worsen over time, even when treated by conservative, nonsurgical methods that can often help alleviate back pain attributed to mechanical causes.
Depending on the location and type of tumor, other signs and symptoms can develop, especially as a tumor grows and compresses on the spinal cord, the nerve roots, blood vessels, or bones of the spine.
Additional symptoms can include the following:
-Loss of sensation or muscle weakness in the legs, arm, or chest
- Stiff neck or back
- Difficulty walking, which may cause falls
- Pain or neurologic symptoms increase with Valsalva maneuver
- Decreased sensitivity to pain, heat, and cold
- Loss of bowel or bladder function
Paralysis that may occur in varying degrees and in different parts of the body, depending on which nerves are compressed
- Scoliosis or other spinal deformity resulting from a large and destructive tumor.
There are many causes of back pain, and, most back pain isn't caused by a tumor, but because early diagnosis and treatment are important for spinal tumors if back pain
- Pain is persistent and progressive
- Pain is not activity related
- Pain gets worse at night
- History of cancer and develop new back pain
- Other symptoms of cancer, such as nausea, vomiting, or dizziness
- changes in bowel or bladder function
- Progressive muscle weakness or numbness in your legs or arms.
Causes:
It's not clear why most spinal tumors develop. Experts suspect that defective genes play a role, but it's usually not known whether such genetic defects are inherited or simply develop over time. They might be caused by something in the environment, such as exposure to certain chemicals. in some cases, however, spinal cord tumors are linked to known inherited syndromes, such as neurofibromatosis 2 and von Hippel- Lindau disease.
Risk factors:
Spinal cord tumors are more common in people who have:
- Neurofibromatosis: in this hereditary disorder, benign tumors develop on or near the nerves related t hearing. This may lead to progressive hearing loss in one or both ears. Some people with neurofibromatosis 2 also develop spinal canal tumors.
- Von- Hippel- Lindau disease: This rare, multisystem disorder is associated with blood vessel tumors in the brain, retina, and spinal cord and with other types of tumors in the kidney or adrenal glands.
Complications:
Spinal tumors can compress spinal nerves, leading to a loss o movement or sensation below the location of the tumor. This can sometimes cause bowel and bladder function.
However, if caught early and treated aggressively, it may be possible to prevent further loss of function and regain nerve function. Depending on its location, a tumor that presses against the spinal cord itself may be life-threatening.
Diagnosis:
Spinal tumors sometimes might be overlooked because they're not common and their symptoms resemble those of more common conditions. For that reason, it's especially important that your doctor know your complete medical history and performs both general physical and neurological exams.
Spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI uses a powerful magnetic field and radio wave to produce accurate images of your spine, spinal cord, and nerves. MRI is usually the preferred test to diagnose tumors of the spinal cord and surrounding tissues. A contrast agent that helps highlight certain tissues and structures may be injected into a vein in your hand or forearm during the test.
Some people may feel claustrophobic inside the MRI scanner or find the loud thumping sound it makes disturbing, but you're usually given earplugs to help with the noise, and some scanners are equipped with televisions or headphones.
- Computerized tomography (CT). This test uses a narrow beam of radiation to produce detailed images of your spine. sometimes it's combined with an injected contrast dye to make abnormal changes in the spinal canal or spinal cord easier to see, CT scan is only rarely used to help diagnose spinal tumors.
Biopsy: The only way to determine the exact type of a spinal tumor is to examine a small tissue sample (biopsy) under a microscope. The biopsy result will help determine treatment options.
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