Cancer and the Spine - Chicago Institute of Neurosurgery and Neuroresearch (CINN), Chicago, IL

by Mitchell R. Gropper, M.D.

The diagnosis of cancer continues to grow all over the world. Whether due to improved abilities to find ‘hidden’ diseases, or a real environmental issue, patients and doctors must face these challenges with a new aggressiveness never seen before. On the brighter side, new medicines and adjunctive therapies are available to not only improve quality of life, but potentially cure cancer.

There will be 1,284,900 new cancer diagnoses made this year in the United States. The spine is the most common site for the disease to spread. About 30-70% of patients with primary tumors have spinal metastases. The presenting symptoms include back or neck pain, but can even include loss of sensation, decreased strength or bowel and bladder dysfunction. Bone pain at night in a cancer patient is always a concerning problem.

Fortunately medical and radiation oncologists have another weapon in their arsenal. Spinal reconstruction has come so far in the past 5 years that restoration of function is a possibility in almost all cases. The creation of a truly ‘bionic’ spine is something that can be offered to not only reduce the tumor size, but decrease pain and improve neurological deficits. The specific techniques utilized by Dr. Gropper and his colleagues include spinal instrumentation, vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, spinal cord stimulators, intrathecal drug pumps, and neuroablative procedures.

This specific type of spine surgery does, however, require specific and extensive training to become accomplished in its use. Spine surgeons at the Institute for Spine Care of the Chicago Institute of Neurosurgery and Neuroresearch have been performing these techniques for up to 10 years. In fact, they have personally developed many of the techniques currently used, and have been involved in teaching them to other surgeons around the world.

If you would like more information about CINN’s Institute for Spine Care, please call 1-800-560-2225 (BACK).