Complete Care for Spinal Cord Cancer
A spinal cord tumor forms on the spinal cord or the area around it. The term “primary” refers to cancers that started in the spinal cord, while secondary spinal cord tumors occur as a result of cancer that initiates elsewhere in the body first. Spinal cord tumors may be cancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign). They can cause pain and discomfort because the tumor may push on the spinal cord or nerves. Some spinal cord tumors are sometimes caused by genetic disorders.
Though spinal cord tumors are relatively uncommon, treating them is integral as they can cause problems with blood vessels, nerves and bones. The sooner a patient is diagnosed, the more likely they are to have a more positive outcome; otherwise, the tumor can result in nerve damage or disability.
Types of spinal cord tumors
Spinal cord tumors affect many different areas and come in many different types, including:
- Leukemia or lymphoma, cancers of the blood
- Myeloma, cancer of the bone marrow
- Medulloblastomas, which start in the brain and metastasize to the spine, and are most common in children
- Gliomas (ependymomas, astrocytomas or gangliogliomas), which are cancers that form in cells called glial cells
- Chordomas, which form in the spine and can push against it
- Schwannomas, which start inside the peripheral nerves
- Meningiomas, which start in the tissues around the spinal cord (meninges)
- Metastatic (secondary) tumors, which are cancers that have spread from the lung, breast, prostate, or other organs
Spinal cord tumor treatments can include radiation therapy, surgery, medications to lessen swelling, and clinical trials.
To contact one of New Jersey’s best brain and spine cancer specialists call
844-CANCERNJ or
844-226-2376.
