Spinal tumours are abnormal growths that develop inside or around the spine.
They are relatively rare, and fall into two main categories:
Primary spine tumours originate within the spine itself, unlike metastatic tumours that spread from other parts of the body. While most primary spine tumours are benign, some can be malignant.
These are the most common spinal tumours, starting elsewhere in the body and spreading to the spine via the bloodstream. Metastatic spine tumours are always malignant.
Common cancers that spread to the spine include multiple myeloma, plasmacytoma, lymphoma, prostate cancer in men, breast cancer in women, and lung cancer.
Spinal cord tumors are relatively rare, especially when compared to other types of cancers, and they are more easily found in adults than in children.
While primary spinal tumors represent a small percentage of all spinal tumor occurrences, metastatic tumors are much more frequent.
Primary spinal tumours are usually benign, while metastatic spinal tumours are always malignant.
However, regardless of their benign or malignant condition, all spinal tumours are considered to be serious.
Cancerous spinal tumours cause symptoms due to the rapid growth of malignant cells. Common symptoms include:
In the affected part of the spine.
In the arms or legs due to nerve or spinal cord compression by the quickly growing tumour.
Also known as pathological fractures, caused by the cancer eroding the bones of the spine.
Benign tumours, while slower growing, can also cause serious symptoms by compressing the nerves and spinal cord. Common symptoms include:
In the arms and legs.
Caused by spinal cord compression, which disrupts signals to the muscles.
Or loss of bowel/bladder control due to nervous system disruption.
The exact cause of primary spinal tumours is not yet known. However, with metastatic spine tumours, the cause can be traced back to the original cancer that spreaded to the spine, with the most common being prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women.
While there are no genetic links with prostate cancer, breast cancer does have genetic associations. The BRCA gene mutation is a known risk factor that significantly increases the likelihood of breast cancer spreading to the spine.
Two genetic conditions, NF1 (neurofibromatosis type 1) and NF2 (neurofibromatosis type 2), increase the risk of spinal tumours. These conditions are exceptionally rare.
Benign tumours typically require surgery, while cancerous tumours often need a combination of surgery, chemotherapy (drug treatment), and radiotherapy (x-ray treatment).
Surgery is needed to treat both cancerous and benign spinal tumours for three main reasons:
For cancerous tumours, surgery is often successful in achieving its goals, whether for diagnosis, decompression of the spinal cord, or spine stabilisation.
For benign primary tumours, surgery is usually very successful. This is one of my subspecialties. If you’d like me to assess your condition, please contact my team urgently.
Many factors influence recovery time. I’ll need to assess your condition and scans before providing a clearer answer.
Treatment safety depends on the type of tumour. We will discuss all the risks and benefits after a full in-person assessment.
In most cases, leaving it untreated is not advisable. I can provide more clarity after a full assessment of your condition.
If you have a spinal tumour it is critical you get a professional opinion immediately. Usually your family doctor will have arranged this urgently if such a tumour is found. If you want me to assess you, then contact my team urgently.
