All about Spinal Tumors: Early Detection and Treatment Options
Spinal tumors are rare compared to other regions. A spinal tumor is an unusual growth of cells within the spinal column.
Is upper back pain a sign of cancer? What are the symptoms of a spinal cord tumor? Is there a treatment for spinal cord tumors? Several questions disturb our happiness. How do we resolve these queries? Consulting the best spine surgeon, Dr Martin Liner, can help you start with a suitable treatment. He is an expert in diagnosing spinal cord tumors. He ensures customized minimally invasive surgery protocols that provide a faster recovery. Improve your lifestyle with cutting-edge diagnosis technologies and enhanced treatments.
What is Spinal Tumor?
Spinal tumors are the abnormal growth of cells which can affect different parts of the spine. The tumors can be cancerous (malignant) or non-cancerous (benign). Most spinal tumors are metastases that spread from other parts of the body to the spine. Some are primary spinal tumors, which means they originate from the spine and rarely spread to other body parts.
Spinal tumor types
There are different classifications of spinal tumors.
The region along the spinal cord
The location of the tumor along your spine. It can be at the
Cervical – in the neck area
Thoracic – from the upper to mid-back region
Lumbar – in the lower back region
Sacrum – at the bottom of the spine
Lumbar and thoracic regions are most affected by this compared to the other areas.
Areas in the spinal canal
Intramedullary tumor – affects the inner area of the spinal cord. Almost 5 % of spinal tumors occur in this area.
Intradural-extramedullary tumor occurs in the thin covering of the spinal cord but outside the spinal cord. Almost 40% of the tumors occur in this area.
Extradural tumor: This type of tumor occurs outside the spinal cord, including the vertebrae. Almost 55% of tumors occur in this area.
Some of specific spinal cord tumors
Astrocytoma is a tumor that occurs inside the supporting cells of the spinal cord.
Chordomas are rare tumors that form in the skull and spine.
Meningioma is a tumor in the tissues covering the brain and spinal cord.
Neurofibroma grows on the nerves of the body. The medical condition is associated with a genetic disorder.
Schwannoma is a benign tumor growing from the nerve sheath.
Ependymoma is a tumor that arises from the ependyma, a tissue of the central nervous system. Usually, in pediatric cases the location is intracranial, while in adults it is spinal.
Symptoms of Spinal Tumor
Spinal tumors have different symptoms according to the localization and size. The symptoms include:
- Muscle Spasms
- Increased back pain while lying down
- Specific pain in the spine
- Numbness to cold, heat, and pain
- Difficult to walk, leading to falls
- Inactivity in your arms and legs
- Mild or severe muscle weakness
- Back pain spreads to other parts of the body.
- Loss of bladder or bowel function
Tumor in spine - treatment options
Monitor the tumor
Few spinal tumors are known before they cause symptoms, like those discovered when evaluated for other conditions. If tumors remain the same size, continuous monitoring is required. Doctors recommend periodic MRI or CT scans to assess the tumor.
Spinal tumor removal
Spinal tumor removal surgery has few risk factors, but with the latest technologies, doctors minimize the chance of injuries. With newer instruments, neurosurgeons find it accessible to differentiate tumors from healthy tissues. In some instances, high-frequency sound waves break the tumors and remove fragments. Depending on the procedures, recovery from spinal surgery takes a few weeks or longer.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is suitable for some tumor kinds. It can be applied as a stand alone treatment, or in combination with chemotherapy, or additionally to the surgery, where it kills the tumor parts that remain after the surgery, so that they won’t grow any more. Radiation is also used to treat some risky or inoperable tumors.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a standard treatment to destroy the growth of some cancer cells. It’s usually done alone or in combination with radiation therapy. Depending on the kind of chemotherapy there might be many different side effects including nausea, hair loss, fatigue, vomiting, and an increased risk of infection, which can be reduced with suitable medication.
Save your Life with Early detection of spinal cord tumor.
A patient with a possible risk of spinal tumor requires continuous monitoring by the doctor. The doctor goes through a complete medical check-up, radiographic study, and neurological examination of the spinal cord. With advanced diagnosis technologies, doctors identify whether it’s a cancerous or non-cancerous tumor. Additionally, CT and MRI scans allow doctors to determine the spinal structure. Minimally invasive spine surgery has fewer risks, avoiding severe damage to the muscles around the spine. The surgery has less pain and faster recovery time.
Consult Dr Martin Liner for the best Spine treatment in Dubai.
Spinal tumors are rare medical conditions. Seek immediate medical attention if you have severe back pain with unusual symptoms. Dr Martin Liner is a leading spinal surgeon with years of expertise in treating spinal conditions. He uses fully advanced medical equipment and customized treatment to ensure faster recovery.
Lead a healthy and happy life with Dr Martin Liner’s unmatched expertise!
