Tumors of the spinal cord are diagnosed much less frequently than brain tumors. Unfortunately, spinal cord tumors show uncharacteristic symptoms, which significantly delays the correct diagnosis. And early diagnosis may offer a chance for a full recovery. Find out how to recognize spinal cord tumors.
Tumors of the spinal cordconstitute a small percentage of all cancers of the central nervous system.Spinal cord tumorscan be primary, i.e. come from the cells of the spinal cord itself, nerve roots, meninges, or blood vessels, as is usually the case in children, and secondary, i.e. the result of tumor metastasis from another authority. The source of such metastases may be intracranial tumors or systemic tumors (breast cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, leukemia, lymphoma). Secondary cancers are usually diagnosed in adults.
Tumors of the spinal cord - types and symptoms
Due to their location within the spinal canal, spinal cord tumors are divided into tumors:
- epidural,
- intrathecal non-puncture
- intramedullary.
Usually, the first symptom of all types of tumors is back pain. When the tumor presses on the spinal cord, the pain is of a bone character (constant, blunt over the affected area). If the tumor grows, it presses on the roots of the spinal nerves, it is sharp, piercing and radiates to the skin and muscle regions supplied by the root. Both types of pain tend to be worse when moving, coughing and sleeping. In addition, most patients develop neurological disorders of varying degrees, depending on the type of tumor.
1. Epidural tumors
These are lesions that, as they grow larger, put pressure on the meningeal and then on the spinal cord. They are mostly metastatic neoplasms, as well as other malignant tumors, such as osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, single and multiple myeloma, lymphoma, leukemia, neuroblastoma, and ganglionic neuroblastoma. Benign tumors include hemangiomas, osteomas, osteoblastomas, giant cell tumors, cartilage and bone spurs, ganglionic neuromas, aneurysmal cysts and granuloma.eosinophilic. These types of tumors usually cause paraesthesia: numbness, tingling, or a painful stinging sensation. Another characteristic feature is the progressive weakening of muscle strength, followed by paresis and even paralysis.
2. Intra-spinal intrathecal neoplasms
Intra-spinal tumors usually cause a concentric widening of the spinal cord with a narrowing of the subdural space. These are most often gliomas: ependymoma and polycytoma of a low degree of malignancy, less often, fetal hemangiomas and metastatic lesions originating from tumors of the central nervous system or internal organs, e.g. lungs.
3. Intrathecal extra-spinal tumors
Neoplastic changes develop in the subdural space, usually putting pressure on the spinal cord. These are most often benign tumors, mainly neuromas and meningiomas, less often leathery and epidermal cysts. They grow slowly and can reach large sizes before they are detected. Malignant changes in this location include metastases and lymphomas.
In both cases, the above mentioned symptoms accompanied by disturbances in sensation (e.g. temperature). Both types of cancer can also lead to urinary and faecal incontinence as well as impotence.
In all of the above In addition to symptoms related to the location and size of the tumor, general symptoms caused by neoplastic disease, such as weakness, weight loss, anorexia, hemoptysis, hematuria and depression are also present.