Spinal tumors

The spinal cord contains bundles of nerves that carry messages between the brain and the body. Because the spinal cord is rigidly encased in bone, any tumor that grows on or near it can compress the nerves, and interfere in this communication.

Spinal cord tumors are abnormal growths of tissue found inside the bony spinal column. No matter where they are located in the body, tumors are usually classed as benign (or non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).

Benign – the cells that make up the growth are similar to other normal cells, grow relatively slowly, and are confined to one location.

Malignant – when the cells are very different from normal cells, grow relatively quickly, and can spread easily to other locations

The cancerous tumors are also classified as either Primary or Secondary growths.

Primary tumors (tumours) have originated in the vertebral column itself; chordomas or chondrosarcomas are examples.

Secondary tumors (tumours) are growths that originated elsewhere in the body (breast, lungs, prostate & kidney) and spread (metastasized) to the spine where the second tumor has developed. The majority of malignant spine tumors are secondary (metastatic) in nature.

Symptoms that are most frequently associated with all tumors of the spine include pain, weakness, numbness and deformity. They may present in any combination. Spinal cord tumors are much less common than brain tumors.