Spinal Tumors

Learning that you or a loved one has a spinal tumor can be an emotional time. Take comfort in the compassionate and experienced care at TriHealth Orthopedics & Sports Institute and Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine. We’ll be here to help you and your family understand the diagnosis, identify the best treatment options and, when needed, work closely with specialists across departments to deliver the care you need.

Spinal Tumors

There are two main types of spinal tumors: Primary spinal tumors that start in the spine and metastatic spinal tumors. These types of tumors that have spread to the spine from other parts of the body.

Primary spinal tumors are relatively rare. However, estimates show that anywhere from 30-70% of people with cancer will develop metastatic spinal cancer, most commonly among patients with lung, prostate and breast cancer.

Most malignant spinal cancer does not affect the spinal cord. Cancers that may involve the spine include:

• Chondrosarcoma
• Chordoma
• Ewing sarcoma
• Lymphoma
• Multiple myeloma
• Osteosarcoma

Benign tumors may include:

• Giant cell tumor (GCT)
• Gliomas
• Hemangioblastoma
• Hemangioma
• Meningioma
• Nerve sheath tumor
• Osteoblastoma
• Osteochondroma
• Osteoid osteoma

Spinal tumors symptoms

Signs and symptoms of spinal tumors can range greatly based on the location and type of tumor, but may include:

• Back pain
• Bladder issues
• Bowel issues
• Muscle weakness
• Neck pain
• Numbness
• Pinched nerve
• Spinal cord compression
• Tingling

Spinal tumor treatment

Your treatment plan will depend on the type of tumor you have. We’ll work closely with you and other members of your treatment team, including oncologists, radiologists and primary care providers, to develop that plan that’s right for you.

If you need surgery, the most common surgical procedures to remove spinal tumors include:

• Decompression and fusion surgery – During this procedure, your surgeon will remove small pieces of the vertebrae and tumor, and then fuse one or more vertebrae.
• Laminectomy – A laminectomy removes part or all of the back of vertebrae (and tumor) to allow more room for the spinal cord.

If the tumor is in the spinal cord, our team can closely monitor the spinal cord during surgery and use lasers to precisely remove the tumor. This allows us to preserve the surrounding nerves and reduce the risk of complications.

Spinal tumors risk factors

You may be at higher risk of developing spinal tumors if you have a pre-existing condition, including:

• Neurofibromatosis 2
• Von Hippel-Lindau disease

Make an appointment

At TriHealth Orthopedics & Sports Institute and Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, our spinal specialists are here to guide you on your journey to health and wellness. To learn more or make an appointment with an orthopedic specialist: Call TriHealth at 513 246 2300 or our orthopedic partner, Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, at 513 354 3700.