Spine Tumors

The team at Baptist Health Brain & Spine Care treats all types of cancerous (malignant) and noncancerous (benign) spine tumors. These include tumors that form inside the spinal cord (intramedullary tumors) and tumors in the spinal column but outside of the spinal cord (extradural tumors). We also treat tumors that begin in your spine (primary spinal tumor) and those that move to your spine from another area of your body (secondary spinal tumor).

Some of the spine tumor types we treat include:

• Astrocytomas
• Chondrosarcomas
• Chordomas
• Ependymomas
• Malignant neoplasms
• Meningiomas
• Metastatic (secondary) spine tumors
• Osteoid osteomas
• Schwannomas

If our team believes you have a spine tumor, we’ll use the latest diagnostic and imaging tests to confirm your diagnosis. Tests we use include:

• Combination positron emission tomography-magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI)
• Computed tomography (CT) scan
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Our team may also perform a biopsy to make an exact diagnosis of your spine tumor. During a biopsy, your surgeon removes cells from the tumor to examine under a microscope.

At Baptist Health Brain & Spine Care, we use a combination of therapies to treat spine tumors. We also hold Tumor Board meetings to review treatment options and plan the best course of care for you.

Our Tumor Board meetings include specialists from across Baptist Health Brain & Spine Care and Baptist Health Cancer Care. Together, our experts discuss your case and recommend the best treatment plan for you.

Some of the spine tumor treatments we offer include:

• Chemotherapy. Chemical agents destroy cancer cells and can also help decrease the size of a spinal tumor. Chemotherapy is often used to treat metastatic cancers that have spread throughout the body.
• Radiation therapy. High-energy X-rays target the tumor to shrink or control its growth. This is an effective option for limiting damage to the surrounding healthy tissue.
• Proton therapy. External beam radiotherapy aims energized particles onto a tumor to painlessly target and precisely destroy cancer cells.
• Radiosurgery. Powerful, highly focused radiation destroys tumors as effectively as surgery with no incisions. Our team is experienced in Gamma Knife® and CyberKnife® radiosurgery.
• Surgery. Surgical treatment may include spinal separation surgery, intraoperative tumor ablation or complete removal of the tumor from the spine.

If you need surgery, our team will use intraoperative MRI to gather real-time pictures of your spine during the procedure. Neurosurgeons use these images to ensure complete removal of your tumor while you are still in the operating room.

After surgery, we will work with physical and occupational therapists to get you moving as soon as possible. Your recovery will also include pain management services. Your doctor may also recommend neurorehabilitation.