Spinal cord tumors overview & Facts about spinal cord tumors by our Senior Neuro-Oncologist Dr. K. Venkateswara Rao.
A spinal tumor is a growth that develops within your spinal canal or within the bones of your spine. A spinal tumor may be cancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign). Even if benign, can lead to pain, neurological problems and sometimes paralysis. A spinal tumor can be life-threatening and cause permanent disability.. Spinal tumors cause problems with the nerves, blood vessels, and bones. A spinal cord tumor may be called “primary,” which means cancer started in the spinal cord, or “secondary,” which means cancer started somewhere else in the body and spread to the spinal cord. Most of the time, spinal cord tumors are secondary tumors. Spinal cord tumors can cause many different symptoms: 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. Back pain, often radiating to other parts of your body Feeling less sensitive to pain, heat and cold Loss of bowel or bladder function Difficulty walking, sometimes leading to falls Back pain that's worse at night Loss of sensation or muscle weakness, especially in your arms or legs Muscle weakness, which may be mild or severe, in different parts of your body Your chances of gaining a positive outcome are best if you tell your doctor about your symptoms, get a diagnosis, and begin treatment as soon as possible.