Spinal Cord Tumors

Overview :

The spinal cord contains bundles of nerves that carry messages betweent the brain and the body. Because the spinal cord is rigidly encased in bone, any tumor that grows on or near it can compress the nerves, and interfere in this communication. About 10,000 Americans develop spinal cord tumors each year, and about 40% of these are cancerous. Similar to brain tumors, spinal cord growths are rare.

Newly formed tumors that begin within the spinal cord are unusual, especially among children and the elderly. More typically, tumors originate elsewhere in the body and move through the bloodstream (metastasize) to the spinal cord.