At Georgia Brain & Spine Center
Tumors can arise within or spread throughout the spinal cord or spinal column. As they grow, they can destroy structurally important parts of your spine leading to pain and mechanical instability. They can also compress or invade your spinal cord or nerve roots resulting in neurological symptoms such as difficulty walking, weakness, numbness, or loss of control of urination. There are a wide variety of tumors that can involve your spinal cord and spinal column and they are generally classified based on location and aggressiveness.
Treatment of Tumors of the Spinal Cord and Spinal Column
Tumors of the spinal cord and spinal column are usually diagnosed based on history, physical exam, and imaging studies such as CT and MRI scans. The treatment will be based on the type of tumor you have, its location within the spinal cord or spinal column, and whether or not it is causing symptoms. Some benign tumors can be monitored and may not ever grow or cause symptoms. Other aggressive tumors can grow, invade into your bone and spinal cord, and result in pain and neurological deterioration. Patients with these aggressive tumors often benefit from surgery to remove them in their entirety. Sometimes these extensive surgeries involve complex reconstruction of the spinal column.
Resection of spinal tumors is a delicate and complex task. If you have been diagnosed with tumors involving the spine or spinal cord, contact us for an appointment. Our surgeons at Georgia Brain & Spine Center have advanced expertise in the treatment of this condition and are here to help.