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Did you know how tumors in the spine affect motor and sensory functions?
Spinal tumors are tumors located in the spine or spinal cord, which have a profound impact on the patient's movement and sensory functions. These tumors can be divided into three categories based on their location: extraspinal tumors and intraspinal tumors (intraspinal tumors are divided into intraspinal and extraspinal tumors). Extraspinal tumors are mostly metastatic tumors, while intraspinal tumors are divided into intraspinal tumors and extraspinal tumors. As the tumor grows, patients experience a variety of symptoms due to compression of the spinal cord and loss of nerve function.
The most common presenting symptom of a spinal tumor is back pain at night, but muscle weakness, loss of sensation, and difficulty walking are also common symptoms.
Scholars point out that as the disease progresses, patients may also experience loss of control over bowel movements and urination. Although the causes of spinal tumors are not fully understood, many extravertebral tumors are mainly caused by metastasis from other cancers, common sources include breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer and kidney cancer. Spinal cord tumors are associated with a variety of genetic factors, the most common of which include neurofibromatosis and Von-Hippel-Lindau syndrome.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Symptoms of spinal tumors are often nonspecific, which can lead to delayed diagnosis. The most common symptom is pain, usually due to compression of the spinal cord. Additionally, rapid paralysis, weakness or numbness in the hands and feet, and even bowel or bladder incontinence are all conditions that people with spinal cord compression may experience.
Rapid identification and intervention of metastatic spinal cord compression is critical to preserve neurological function.
The diagnosis process includes a complete medical evaluation and confirmation of the lesion with imaging tests such as CT or MRI. A biopsy may also be needed if the diagnosis is uncertain. MRI is often the imaging test of choice for detecting spinal tumors.
Etiology and Pathophysiology
The causes of most spinal tumors are still unknown; however, some genetic syndromes are known to be associated with certain primary spinal tumors. Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is associated with neurofibromas in the spine, while type 2 is associated with meningiomas and schwannomas. Intravertebral hemangioblastomas can be observed in patients with Von Hippel-Lindau disease. Most extravertebral tumors are mainly caused by metastasis of other cancers, such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, etc.
The spinal cord is surrounded by three layers of membranes, including the dura mater, the arachnoid membrane, and the pia mater. The development of tumors often leads to compression of the spinal cord, which in turn affects its function.
The latest research results show that if extravertebral tumors are delayed in diagnosis, they may cause long-term neurological deficits, which highlights the importance of rapid diagnosis.
Treatment Options
Treatment strategies for spinal tumors vary, and core treatments generally include surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. In cases of spinal cord compression, steroids may reduce inflammation and possibly relieve symptoms.
Indications for surgery include total resection, neural decompression, and stabilization. For primary spinal cord tumors, possible total resection surgery can be considered.
For metastatic cancer, most treatments are aimed at palliation and improving quality of life. For small benign tumors, observation with regular follow-up imaging is a feasible strategy. If the tumor is in a location that makes surgery less feasible, radiation therapy or chemotherapy may also be considered as part of the treatment plan.
The development of new technologies has made the combination of minimally invasive surgery and radiotherapy a popular direction in the treatment of spinal tumors.
The choice of treatment usually requires the involvement of a multidisciplinary team and depends on the histological grade of the tumor, the tumor type, and the extent of surgical resection.
Faced with such a complex disease, have you ever thought about how to increase awareness of spinal tumors and the importance of early diagnosis?
