Different types of cancer may form in the bones, tissues, fluid, or nerves of the spine.
Less than 10 percent of spine tumors originate in the spine. Most spine tumors have spread, or metastasized, to the spine from cancers that began in other locations, such as the lung, breast, colon, prostate, kidney, or thyroid gland. Sarcomas, which are cancers of the bone, muscle, or connective tissue, can also spread to the spine.
The majority of primary and metastatic spine tumors are epidural tumors. These tumors begin in the bones of the spine and compress the spinal dura, which are the membranes that surround the spinal fluid, spinal cord, and nerve roots. Spinal tumors can also occur inside the spinal cord itself (intradural, intramedullary tumors) or inside the dura but outside the spinal cord (intradural, extramedullary tumors).
In this section, you can find information about our expertise in treating primary and metastatic spine tumors, our services, and our research.
