Spinal tumors treatment in Türkiye

Spinal tumors are mostly metastatic. That is, the original, or primary, tumor has developed in another organ and spread to the spine, usually through the bloodstream.

The most common of these tumors in women are from the breast and lung. In men, it is most often metastasized from the prostate and lung.

Types of vertebral tumors

Spinal tumors:

Tumors arising from cells of the spine and vertebral bone also occur in the spine, although they are more frequent.

Examples of these primary spine tumors include osteosarcoma and giant cell tumor, which are benign, and osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and Ewing’s sarcoma, which are malignant bone tumors.

Non-osseous tumors

Extramedullary intradural: These tumors are located within the dura, but outside the substance of the spinal cord.

Meningiomas and neurosheath tumors (Schwannomas and neurofibromas) make up the majority of this subset of spinal tumors.

Meningiomas arise from the dura mater, the thin membrane that surrounds spinal fluid and the spinal cord. Meningiomas are most common in middle-aged and older women. These tumors are usually benign.

Schwannomas and neurofibromas arise from nerve roots leaving the spinal cord. Like meningiomas, neurosheath tumors are usually benign.

Endothelial endothelial tumors arise just below the spinal cord, in the lumbar (lower) and sacral (inferior) canals of the column

These tumors can be large and may attach to many nerves, sometimes making total removal difficult.

Tumors within the spinal cord:

Tumors are found within the substance of the spinal cord.

These tumors usually arise from glial cells (supporting cells) within the spinal cord. Astrocytomas and ependymomas represent the majority and occur with equal frequency.

Astrocytomas are more common in children and ependymoma more common in adults.

Hematoblastomas, tumors of the blood vessels, are less common and sometimes occur in association with von Hippel-Lindau disease. It is a genetic condition in which patients are prone to developing cysts and tumors in the kidneys and other organs. Intramedullary tumors most often occur in the cervical spinal cord, or spinal cord in the neck, and are often benign.

What are the symptoms of spinal tumors?

Spinal tumors may cause a variety of symptoms depending on their type, location, and rate of growth.

In general, the most common type of symptom is pain at the site of the tumor in the neck or back, followed by neurological problems such as weakness or numbness in the arms or legs, or a change in normal bowel or bladder habits.

In patients diagnosed with cancer in another part of the body, the new onset of spinal pain may indicate a spinal fracture caused by a malignant tumor causing weakening of the vertebrae.
Tumors that arise within the dura are usually benign and slow-growing. Patients with these tumors may experience pain for years before any neurological problems develop.

How are spinal tumors diagnosed?

Patients with symptoms suspicious of a spinal tumor should be comprehensively evaluated by a physician. The evaluation includes a complete medical history, physical and neurological examination, and a radiological study of the spine.

The most widely used and most accurate radiographic study is spinal MRI, with or without intravenous gadolinium (a contrast-enhancing agent that makes some tumors light up brightly).

These scans adequately visualize the spinal cord and its associated nerves.

On MRI, the detail of the bony spine is not as good as on CT. However, bony details are usually sufficient with MRI scans, and MRI scans are able to show details of the spinal cord, while CT scans are not.

Other radiographic studies such as computed tomography after injection of radiographic contrast material into the spinal fluid or X-rays of the spine may also be needed depending on the type and location of the spinal tumor and its effects on the spine.

Treatment of spinal tumors

Spinal tumors:

Remember that spinal tumors are tumors in the bones. Some of these tumors are primary bone, but most spinal tumors are metastatic tumors that have spread from cancer elsewhere in the body.

In the case of metastatic tumors, removing the spinal tumor will not cure the cancer. However, advances in treatments such as radiosurgery and chemotherapy have greatly improved the prognosis for patients with metastatic tumors.

There are many treatments available to shrink the tumor, slow or stop its growth, relieve pain or neurological symptoms caused by the tumor, and maintain spinal stability.

Radiotherapy, either conventional or stereotaxic radiosurgery, is an option that significantly reduces spinal pain. This treatment uses highly focused radiation to destroy cancerous cells and shrink the tumor. Radiotherapy can be used to treat painful tumors if it does not compress the spinal cord or destabilize the spine.

Surgical treatment may be beneficial for tumors that are pressing on the spinal cord or destabilizing the spine. Most benign tumors and many malignant spinal tumors can often be completely removed using advanced surgical techniques.

Surgery to decompress the spinal cord, called decompression surgery, consists of removing the part of the vertebra affected by the tumor.

When decompression surgery or the tumor itself makes the spine unstable, bone grafts and metal implants are used to restore spinal stability.

Intradural tumors

Extramedullary intradural tumors include neurosheath tumors and meningiomas that arise within the dura, but outside the substance of the spinal cord.

Most extramedullary intradural tumors are treated with complete resection (total surgical removal), and patients generally report little or no neurological problems after surgery.

However, it is often impossible to completely remove large peripheral tumors because they attach to many spinal nerves.

Radiotherapy after surgery may improve outcomes in these cases.

Intramedullary tumors:

Intramedullary tumors (such as astrocytomas, ependymoma, and hematoblastomas) arise within the substance of the spinal cord itself. The usual treatment for these tumors is surgical removal. The goal of surgery is to completely remove the tumor while preserving maximum neurological function.

For most surgeries on or near the spinal cord, surgeons use close monitoring using neurophysiological techniques such as SSEPs (somatosensory evoked potentials) and MEPs (motor excitatory potentials). These techniques allow surgeons to monitor the function of the spinal cord during surgery, to make sure it responds safely.

Pituitary endothelial hemangiomas and haemangiomas are usually well differentiated from the surrounding spinal cord and can often be completely removed.

Patients may experience temporary neurological problems after surgery; However, this is often resolved.

In contrast, intramedullary astrocytes may blend with the surrounding spinal cord and may be difficult to safely remove completely. Because these tumors are usually slow-growing, patients may still experience significant benefit from partial removal.

Tumors that cannot be removed completely and that show aggressive characteristics are usually treated with radiotherapy after surgery.

Spinal tumors treatment in Türkiye

Türkiye is a regional medical center for the treatment of oncology, as it receives patients from the countries of the Middle East and North Africa, Central Asia and Eastern Europe.

This is due to the high success rates of these operations. The success rate of spinal tumor treatment in Türkiye depends on the status of the tumor, as some cases reach very high success rates.

Also, the cost of treating spine and spinal cord tumors in Türkiye depends largely on the status of the tumor, and it is impossible to predict the initial or estimated cost of tumor treatment.

So, in the event that you want to consult doctors and request a price quote, we will ask you to send medical reports and a description of the case to REHABTÜRK doctors from here

How can I book treatment for spinal tumors in Türkiye?

• Free medical support on the phone: You will have a dedicated representative for your health condition who is always ready to answer your questions.
• Free consultation with a specialist doctor: Your medical representative will consult with a number of doctors and hospitals to find the best possible treatments.
• Free travel visa arrangement: We will contact the embassy in your country to assist you in obtaining a visa to visit Türkiye.
• Free itinerary planning: We will create a schedule for your medical trip to Türkiye.
• Free translation of documents and reports: We will translate medical documents and reports into Turkish on your behalf.
• Free support and monitoring: We will monitor the stages of treatment and be by your side every step of the way.
• Free instant translation: We will be with you during the treatment stages to provide translation between you and the medical team.
• Free accommodation and transportation coordination: We will book accommodation for you and your companions in Türkiye, along with transportation services.

Contact REHABTÜRK doctors for more information about the procedure and to evaluate your medical condition.

 Ask for a free consultation.