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Spinal tumours
A guide for patients and carers
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What is a spinal tumour?
This page contains provides information about spinal tumours, answering common questions such as: What are spinal tumours and what causes them? Are my family at risk? How common are spinal tumours and where in the spine do they occur?
What is a tumour?
Our bodies are made from building blocks called cells, each with its own structure and function. Cells grow and multiply naturally and normally as we grow up through childhood into adulthood and to repair tissue and wear-and-tear damage to our bodies (for example, when our skin heals after a cut or graze).
A tumour is a swelling or lump formed when certain cells grow and multiply abnormally.
What is a spinal tumour?
A spinal tumour is an abnormal growth of cells in the spine.
If any cells in the spine grow and multiply abnormally to cause a spinal tumour, this is called a primary tumour.
If abnormal cells have spread to the spine from a cancerous tumour in another part of the body, this is called a secondary tumour or a metastasis ("secondaries" or metastases).
The Central Nervous System
The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord.
Messages (nerve impulses) from the brain travel along the spinal cord and control the activities of the body such as the movement of the arms and legs, the function of the organs and sensory functions like touch and temperature.The peripheral nervous system (the network of nerves outside the central nervous system) carries messages between the central nervous system and the rest of the body.
Diagram of the spine and the main functions of each section
If you cannot see this diagram, click here for a description of what it shows.
The spine
The spine comprises the backbone and the spinal cord. The backbone is made of vertebrae (spinal bones). Some of the muscles in the back form part of the structure of the spine.
The spinal cord extends from the brain to the lumbar section of the spine. The backbone continues beyond the lumbar section to the coccyx (tail bone).
The brain and the spinal cord are surrounded and protected by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The dura mater (dura) is the tough, fibrous membrane which forms the outer covering of the brain and spinal cord.
Nerves branch out from the spinal cord through the dura and vertebrae and become part of the peripheral nervous system.
Different sections of the spinal cord are responsible for different movements and functions of the body.
What are benign and malignant spinal tumours?
Benign spinal tumours are non-cancerous. They are always primary tumours (that is, they start in the spine). They do not spread into and invade the tissue surrounding them in the same way as malignant tumours (see below) and they do not send secondary tumours to other parts of the body. However, benign tumours can grow to a considerable size, creating pressure on and damaging the tissue surrounding them in the spine.
Benign spinal tumours usually occur inside the membrane surrounding the spinal cord and nerves (the dura). Tumours within the dura are called intradural tumours. Benign spinal tumours are not often found in the bones of the spine (the vertebrae). Consequently, they rarely disturb the strength of the bone structure of the spine.
Malignant spinal tumours are cancerous. They spread into and invade the tissue surrounding them. The rate at which they invade the surrounding tissue depends on how malignant they are.
Metastases (secondary tumours)
The most common type of spinal tumours are metastases or secondary tumours that have spread to the spine from malignant primary tumours in
other parts of the body.
Malignant primary tumours in the breasts, lungs, prostate, kidneys and bowel are the most common sources of metastases in the spine.
What causes spinal tumours?
We do not yet know with any certainty what causes primary spinal tumours and we do not know why some are benign and some are malignant.
Secondary spinal tumours are always caused by a cancerous tumour in another part of the body.
Could I have prevented my spinal tumour?
No. We have not established clear risk factors for spinal tumours in the way that, for instance, smoking has been established as a clear risk factor for lung cancer.
Are there warning signs?
No, there are no warning signs before the onset of symptoms.
Some benign tumours grow very slowly over several years and can reach a large size before they are detected. Malignant tumours tend to grow more quickly and will usually have been present for a shorter time when they are discovered.
The onset of symptoms does not tell us how long the tumour has been there or whether it is benign or malignant.
How common are spinal tumours?
Spinal tumours are not common. Fewer than 1,000 people are diagnosed with primary spinal tumours each year in the UK. Secondary spinal tumours are more common.
Are my family at risk?
The hereditary risk of spinal tumours is very low. It is rare for a spinal tumour to be traced to a genetic factor passed on within a family. If one of your relatives has also had a spinal tumour it can almost always be put down to coincidence.
An increased risk does exist with some very rare genetic conditions such as neurofibromatosis.
Where do spinal tumours occur?
Any section of the spine can be affected by tumours, from the top of the neck down to the coccyx (tail bone).
Tumours in the bone are the most common type of spinal tumour. These are usually secondary tumours. Primary bone tumours are rare.
Tumours can occur outside the dura (the outermost membrane covering the brain and spinal cord). These are called extradural tumours. They can also occur inside the dura. These are called intradural tumours.
Less commonly, tumours can occur inside the spinal cord. These are called intramedullary tumours.
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