Spinal Tumors and Cancers
Spinal tumors may be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Cancers that begin in the spine are very rare. Metastatic tumors, which travel to the spine from other organs, are more common.
The specific cause of a person’s spinal tumor may be impossible to determine, and there aren’t any well-known risk factors for developing primary spinal tumors, although some researchers have found that people with a weakened immune system or those with certain genetic disorders may have an increased risk of spinal tumors.
If a spinal tumor is suspected, the patient’s care team will perform testing. This may include a physical exam, imaging tests and a biopsy. If spinal cancer is ultimately diagnosed, the care team will assign a grade to the tumor.
Spinal tumors are categorized by type based on their location and the types of cells involved. Common types may include astrocytoma, chordomas, Ewing sarcoma and osteosarcoma.
Surgery is usually the first treatment option for spinal tumors. The care team may also consider using radiation therapy or chemotherapy as part of the patient’s treatment plan.
Getting treated for spinal tumors at City of Hope means you are steps away from labs where new cancer treatments are being developed every day. That proximity means you benefit from something unique in cancer care — bench-to-bedside treatment.
When you come to City of Hope, you automatically gain access to a comprehensive array of support services to help you and your loved ones during and after spinal tumor treatment.
Our Spinal Tumor Expertise
When you get spinal tumor treatment at City of Hope, you are partnering with a world-class team of experts spanning multiple disciplines who treat challenging and complex spine tumors every day. You’ll also have access to transformative surgical methods and technology, groundbreaking research studies and highly focused radiation therapy.
Our Spinal Cancer Program Highlights:
- A personalized spinal tumor treatment approach guided by your unique needs and background, including minimally invasive surgical options
- Highly precise radiation therapy delivery that can focus on spinal tumors while sparing nearby organs and tissues
- Extensive experience in treatments for advanced or metastatic cancers that have spread from other organs
- A dual-surgeon approach to improve outcomes and shorten the duration of each operation
- A long-term survivorship and follow-up program focused on reducing recurrence risk and improving quality of life
- Supportive care programs to help you navigate issues like pain, nausea and behavioral health challenges
City of Hope offers integrated cancer care by a multidisciplinary team of medical oncologists and neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists and pain management specialists, who create treatment plans tailored to each patient.
City of Hope is one of fewer than 60 facilities designated a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute.
Our developments in the areas of breakthrough cancer drugs, bone marrow transplants and CAR T cell therapy are recognized internationally.
Our leadership in research and innovation continually enhances our ability to provide novel and differentiated approaches to spinal tumor and disorder care.