Tumors of the spine

The spine hard shell to protect the spinal cord, so even the small growth it bone substance will cause a severe neurological disorder. For this reason, education of primary spinal tumors is an absolute indication for surgery, her refusal will inevitably lead to paralysis. The thoracic spine is often a target to them because of the close proximity to mediastinum, lymph nodes in which metastases are primarily in the tumors of the breast and lungs. To distinguish primary tumor from spinal metastases by examining the medical history of incoming patients. If its age from 50 to 70 years, it is likely that this will metastasize, and should seek their source-the tumor itself.

Thoracic (chest) women most often formed tumors meningiomas type, slowly developing, and accompanied by a slight pain. Benign naminami, formed from substance of the nerves of the human body, may occur on any area of the spine. They are progressing too slowly, and the pain will be unilateral. Glioma – tumor of neuroectodermal origin that most often they occur in the thickness of the spinal cord and affect young men. These representatives of the heterogeneous group are growing very slowly and vary in degree of malignancy.

Symptoms of the disease caused by spinal compression

Initial symptoms determined by the presence of spinal compression. About 90% of patients early in the disease pain, extending on both sides of the affected area. Pain is the result of the pressure of the tumor on nerve roots. Between the beginning of spinal compression and obvious symptoms of spinal tumors may pass some days, and more than a year, all depends on the location and the speed of its growth. The next stage of progressive compression – neurological disorders:

• dizziness;
• local spasms;
• disturbances of consciousness;
• memory loss;
• sleep disturbance;
• loss of coordination;
• paralysis.

The final stage, if the tumor is not removed, leads to a complete loss of sensitivity to stimuli and impaired trophism skin, down to serious bedsores. Modern methods of study are helpful for diagnosis as the presence of a lesion and its nature. This:

• x - ray or tomography;
• myelography;
• study of the CSF (cerebrospinal fluid);
• MRI and CT scan.

Medicine up to 80% of neoplastic diseases diagnose using x-rays. Using the most reliable method myelography, with a high degree of accuracy, we can determine the degree of spinal cord compression. A thorough study of CSF reveal even tumor cells. Discovered the tumor can be both malignant and benign. To the last type includes tumors that have a low probability of metastasis in other tissues of the body.

The treatment of the disease and prognosis

The presence of benign tumors of the spine without proper treatment leads to big problems ranging from disability to persistent health disorder. Modern medicine is able to deal with most benign tumors. They occur in the spine and surrounding tissues to him in the form of:

• osteoid osteoma, developing outside the body of the vertebra;
• osteoblastoma – a kind of osteoid osteoma;
• aneurysmal bone cyst of the cervical, affecting the vertebral body;
• giant cell tumor with poorly understood nature;
• eosinophilic granuloma, thins the body of the vertebra;
• enchondroma formed from cartilage.

in the cervical spine" alt="pain in the cervical spine">most Often a tumor of the cervical spine is the product of metastasis. Especially fast spreading its tentacles malignant neoplasms breast, lung, prostate, thyroid (much less) in the tissue of organs, including the spine. Statistics show that if a person is predisposed to the formation of tumors, the probability of its localization in the spine will be 10%, of which 15% will fall ill with the cervical spine.

The tumor is almost always removed surgically, sometimes treated by radiation therapy. The choice of treatment plays a decisive role type and its location, for removal of benign tumors sometimes resort to microsurgery.

Radiation therapy is a highly effective method of easing pain and slowing the growth of rapidly progressing tumours and their metastases. It is used as the first treatment followed by chemotherapy or closing operation. Chemotherapy is used after surgery or radiation therapy in conjunction with radiotherapy or as primary treatment. The prognosis of tumors of the spinal cord is determined not only by the degree of malignancy, but also its localization.