Spinal tumor treatment is dependent on several factors including:
- Type of tumor
- Whether or not the tumor has spread from another part of the body
- Age and overall health
Treatment for spinal tumors includes both non-surgical as well as surgical approaches and in some cases these treatments may be used in combination with one another.
Non-surgical - includes medication, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapies - often aimed at reducing symptoms and/or shrinking the tumor. In some cases monitoring the tumor without treatment may be recommended, typically for only for small, non-cancerous tumors that do not yet cause symptoms.
Surgical - Spine surgery is delicate and often complex surgery due to the proximity to nerves and the spinal cord. Depending on the type of tumor and its location differing surgical techniques may be used to either completely or partially remove the tumor or restore neurological function when possible.