Spinal tumor

Spinal tumors
Specialty Oncology Edit this on Wikidata

Spinal tumors are neoplasms located in the spinal cord. Extradural tumors are more common than intradural neoplasms.

Depending on their location, the spinal cord tumors can be:

  • Extradural - outside the dura mater lining (most common)
  • Intradural - part of the dura
    • Intramedullary - inside the spinal cord
    • Extramedullary- inside the dura, but outside the spinal cord

Symptoms

Pain is the most common symptom at presentation.[1] The symptoms seen are due to spinal nerve compression and weakening of the vertebral structure. Incontinence and decreased sensitivity in the saddle area (buttocks) are generally considered warning signs of spinal cord compression by the tumor. Other symptoms of spinal cord compression include lower extremity weakness, sensory loss, numbness in hands and legs and rapid onset paralysis. The diagnosis of primary spinal cord tumors is very difficult, mainly due to its symptoms, which tend to be wrongly attributed to more common and benign degenerative spinal diseases.[2][3]

Spinal cord compression is commonly found in patients with metastatic malignancy.[4] Back pain is a primary symptom of spinal cord compression in patients with known malignancy.[5] It may prompt a bone scan to confirm or exclude spinal metastasis. Rapid identification and intervention of malignant spinal tumors, often causing spinal cord compression, is key to maintaining quality of life in patients.[6]

Pathology

Extradural tumors are mostly metastases from primary cancers elsewhere (commonly breast, prostate and lung cancer).[2] Intradural tumours can be classified as intramedullary (within the spinal parenchyma) or extramedullary (within the dura, but outside the spinal parenchyma). Extramedullary tumours are more common than intramedullary tumours. Common extramedullary tumours include meningiomas, schwannomas, extramedullary ependymomas, haemangioblastomas, while intramedullary tumours include astrocytomas and intramedullary ependymomas.[1]

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of primary spinal cord tumors is difficult, mainly due to their symptoms, which in early stages mimic more common and benign degenerative spinal diseases. MRI and bone scanning are used for diagnostic purposes. This assesses not only the location of the tumor(s) but also their relationship with the spinal cord and the risk of cord compression.[7]

Spinal tumors are rare in pediatric patients with majority of diagnoses being made around 11 years of age.[8]

Treatment

  • Steroids (e.g. corticosteroids)[3] may be administered if there is evidence of spinal cord compression. These do not affect the tumoral mass itself, but tend to reduce the inflammatory reaction around it, and thus decrease the overall volume of the mass impinging on the spinal cord.
  • Radiotherapy may be administered to patients with malignant tumors. Radiation is usually delivered to the involved segment in the spinal cord as well as to the uninvolved segment above and below the involved segment.[3]
  • Surgery is sometimes possible. The goals of surgical treatment for spinal tumors can include histologic diagnosis, tumor local control or oncological cure, pain relief, spinal cord decompression and restoration of neurological function, restoration of spine stability, and deformity rectification.[3] Extramedullary tumours are more amenable to resection than intramedullary tumours.[1]
  • The combination of minimally invasive surgery and radiation or chemotherapy is a new technique for treating spinal tumors.[9] This treatment can be tailored to the particular tumor of the spine, either metastatic or primary.[10]
  • Some suggest that direct decompressive surgery combined with postoperative radiotherapy, provide better outcomes than treatment with radiotherapy alone for patients with spinal cord compression due to metastatic cancer.[11][12] It is also important to take into consideration the prognosis of the patients and their ambulation status at diagnosis, and treat accordingly.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Nambiar, Mithun; Kavar, B (2012). "Clinical presentation and outcome of patients with intradural spinal cord tumours". Journal of Clinical Neuroscience. 19 (2): 262–6. doi:10.1016/j.jocn.2011.05.021. PMID 22099075.
  2. 1 2 Hamamoto, Yasushi; Kataoka, M.; Senba, T.; Uwatsu, K.; Sugawara, Y.; Inoue, T.; Sakai, S.; Aono, S.; Takahashi, T.; Oda, S. (9 May 2009). "Vertebral Metastases with High Risk of Symptomatic Malignant Spinal Cord Compression". Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology. 39 (7): 431–434. doi:10.1093/jjco/hyp039. PMID 19429929.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Ribas, Eduardo S. C.; Schiff, David (1 May 2012). "Spinal Cord Compression". Current Treatment Options in Neurology. 14 (4): 391–401. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.613.5814. doi:10.1007/s11940-012-0176-7. PMID 22547256.
  4. 1 2 Holt, T.; Hoskin, P.; Maranzano, E.; Sahgal, A.; Schild, S.E.; Ryu, S.; Loblaw, A. (6 March 2012). "Malignant epidural spinal cord compression: the role of external beam radiotherapy". Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care. 6 (1): 103–8. doi:10.1097/spc.0b013e32834de701. PMID 22156794.
  5. ↑ Reith, W.; Yilmaz, U. (December 2011). "[Extradural tumors]". Der Radiologe. 51 (12): 1018–1024. doi:10.1007/s00117-011-2152-8. PMID 22198141.
  6. ↑ Jennelle, Richard L. S.; Vijayakumar, Vani; Vijayakumar, Srinivasan (2 August 2011). "A Systemic and Evidence-Based Approach to the Management of Vertebral Metastasis". ISRN Surg. 2011: 1–6. doi:10.5402/2011/719715. PMC 3200210. PMID 22084772.
  7. ↑ Segal D, Constantini S. C.; Korn, Lidar (14 May 2012). "Delay In Disgnosis of Primary Intra Dural Spinal Cord Tumors". Surg Neurol Int. 3: 52. doi:10.4103/2152-7806.96075. PMC 3356987. PMID 22629489.
  8. ↑ Shweikeh F, Quinsey C, Murayi R, Randle R, Nuño M, Krieger MD, Patrick Johnson J (August 2017). "Treatment patterns of children with spine and spinal cord tumors: national outcomes and review of the literature". Childs Nerv Syst. 33 (8): 1357–1365. doi:10.1007/s00381-017-3433-y. PMID 28484868.
  9. ↑ "When cancer spreads to the spine, a new operation can cut both hospital and recovery time - NY Daily News".
  10. ↑ "Spinal Tumors | Mount Sinai - New York".
  11. ↑ Patchell, Dr. Roy A.; Tibbs, Phillip A.; Regine, William F.; Payne, Richard; Saris, Stephen; Kryscio, Richard J.; Mohiuddin, Mohammed; Young, Byron (20 August 2005). "Direct decompressive surgical resection in the treatment of spinal cord compression caused by metastatic cancer: a randomised trial". The Lancet. 366 (9486): 643–648. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(05)66954-1. PMID 16112300.
  12. ↑ Furlan, J.C.; Chan, K.K.; Sandoval, G.A.; Lam, K.C.; Klinger, C.A.; Patchell, R.A.; Laporte, A.; Fehlings, M.G. (May 2012). "The combined use of surgery and radiotherapy to treat patients with epidural cord compression due to metastatic disease: a cost-utility analysis". Neuro-Oncology. 14 (5): 631–640. doi:10.1093/neuonc/nos062. PMC 3337309. PMID 22505658.
Classification
External resources
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.