Causes and Symptoms of Spinal Cord Tumor

Spinal cord tumor can happen intramedullary i.e. within the cord, it can also arise in the meninges also known as the membrane that covers the spinal cord. This is the extramedullary part of the spinal cord. It can also arise in between the meninges and the spinal bones. In some cases they can extend to other locations as well.

It has been noted that most of the tumors of the spinal cord are extradural. They can be on account of primary tumors that begin from the spine or they can be on account of other cancer. Such tumors results due to the metastasis of other locations, it could be due to cancer of breast, lungs, kidneys, thyroid glands etc.

One should note that any kind of tumor can be triggered in the spine and may comprise of leukemic tumors, lymphoma, myeloma or other tumors. Very small fraction of spinal tumors happens in the nerves of the cord, most of them are the Ependymomas or Gliomas.

The reason that causes spinal tumors is still unknown. In some cases the tumors can be due to genetic defects. A tumor of the spine is very less common than the tumor of the brain. With the growth of the tumor the cells, the nerve roots, blood vessels, meninges and even the bones of the spine gets affected.

Symptoms of spinal cord tumors-
The symptom varies with the kind of tumor its location and the health status of the patient. It should be noted that metastasis cancer rapidly grows and spreads while the primary tumors may take years to grow, spread and progress.

The symptoms may include increase in pressure on the nerve roots and the spinal cord. This can lead to back pain, with reduction in sensation in the compressed area, progression in paralysis, loss of control in bladder and bowel, impotency. With increase in pressure the blood supply can get blocked and the tissue may die, with accumulation of fluid and resultant swelling.