[1] There are three main types of spinal tumors classified based on their location: extradural and intradural (intradural-intramedullary and intradural-extramedullary).
[1][3][7] Other common symptoms of spinal cord compression include muscle weakness, sensory loss, numbness in hands and legs, and rapid onset paralysis.
[1][2] The diagnosis is challenging, primarily because symptoms often mimic more common and benign degenerative spinal diseases.
Rapid identification and intervention of metastatic spinal cord compression is necessary to preserve neurologic function.
[5] The majority of extradural tumors are due to metastasis, most commonly from breast, prostate, lung, and kidney cancer.
[5][14][7] Extradural tumors are located outside the dura mater most commonly in the vertebral bodies from metastatic disease.
[1][4][8] It is important to diagnose and promptly treat metastatic tumors as they can lead to long-term neurologic deficit from epidural spinal cord compression.
[1] Primary extradural tumors are rare and most arise from surrounding bony and soft tissue structures, including Ewing's sarcoma, osteosarcoma, and vertebral hemangioblastomas.
[1] Short-TI Inversion Recovery (STIR) is also commonly added to the MRI protocol for detecting spinal cord tumors.
[5][16] Bone scanning may be used as a supplementary imaging modality for tumors involving bony structures of the spine.
[5] Treatment greatly varies depending on the type of spinal cord tumors, goals of care, and prognosis.
[citation needed] Surgery has several indications depending on the type of tumor, which includes complete resection, decompression of the nerves, and stabilization.
[4] An attempt at total gross resection for a possible cure is an option for patients with primary spinal cord tumors.
Intradural-extramedullary tumors are often benign, so observation with follow-up imaging is an option in cases where the lesions are small and the patient is asymptomatic.
The choice of chemotherapy or radiotherapy is a multidisciplinary process and depends on the histological grade, type of tumor, and amount of surgical resection achieved.
[9] The combination of minimally invasive surgery and radiation or chemotherapy is a new technique for treating spinal tumors.