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Spinal Cord Tumors
DIAgnosis and treatment of spinal cord tumors
A tumor is a complex mass of abnormal cells. Tumors of the nervous system are the most common solid tumors found in children.
Tumors in the spinal cord are not as common as brain tumors, but they do occur. The majority of spinal cord tumors in children grow very slowly, and are therefore considered benign. Aggressive and rapid growing spinal tumors do occur, but are present in only about 10% of the pediatric cases. If a tumor develops in the spinal cord, symptoms may present in a matter of months or years and would include severe pain along the spine, numbness, weakness, incontinence or difficulty walking.
Diagnosis
As always, a careful history and physical examination are the first steps in diagnosis. When a tumor is suspected, MRI scanning with or without a contrast agent is often performed.
Treatment
It is essential that spinal cord tumors be operated on as early as possible from the onset of symptoms to avoid any further functional damage. With surgery, a great majority of spinal cord tumors are curable.