Radiation Therapy Center in Los Angeles, CA
At Pasadena CyberKnife Center, we believe there’s always hope in the fight against cancer – no matter how dire things look. As a leading provider of radiation therapy treatments in the greater Los Angeles area, we help patients facing all forms of cancer overcome their conditions through treatments that work with their lifestyles. We’re proud to provide world-class CyberKnife treatment from our Pasadena cancer center, but we believe the first step is education – so here are some of the most common questions about spinal cancer, alongside their answers.
Common Questions About Spinal Tumors
What is spinal cancer?
Spinal cancer refers to any cancerous tumor or growth that develops in the bones or tissues of the spinal column, the vertebrae, the spinal cord, or the surrounding structures. It’s important to note that not all spinal tumors are cancerous – in fact, many spinal cord tumors (SCTs) are slow growing and noncancerous. Cancerous tumors grow more aggressively and have a higher risk of spreading, but any spinal tumor will require some form of treatment.
How dangerous are spinal tumors?
The spinal cord is the body’s main channel for information transfer: it’s filled with nerves that connect the brain to the rest of the body. This means the spine plays a vital role in virtually all physical activity. Spinal tumors, even noncancerous ones, can place pressure on the spinal cord, squeezing nerve cells and causing problems in the communication between the brain and body. This means that spinal tumors can cause a wide range of problems affecting virtually any region in the body, depending on where they grow – they may cause paralysis, pain, numbness, or any other disability in the limbs, the torso, or almost anywhere else. Left untreated, this may prove debilitating.
What’s the relationship between spinal cancer and brain cancer?
In many ways, spinal tumors and brain tumors are very similar. They both affect the central nervous system, which is the system of nerve cells that carry sensation and electrical impulses throughout the body and allow the brain to control the body. Cancers of the nervous system tend to be semi-isolated: that is, it’s rare for a tumor that starts in the brain or spinal cord to spread to another organ, like the liver, and its rare for tumors in other parts of the body to spread to the nervous system. However, it is somewhat likely for spinal tumors to spread to the brain and vice versa.
How is spinal cancer treated?
There are a range of treatment options available for spinal cancer, and your exact treatment plan will depend on the specifics of your condition. Surgery is still one of the primary methods for treating spinal cancer, but surgery is often combined with radiation therapy treatments like CyberKnife. In some cases, we can treat spinal tumors entirely through CyberKnife.
How serious is the surgery for spinal tumors?
Any surgery on the spine is a serious operation, and patients normally go through a period of recovery following the surgery. That said, it’s rare for a patient to permanently lose ay mobility due to spinal tumor surgery. Even if you temporarily lose certain motor functions, movement will generally come back with more time after the surgery.
Schedule a Consultation with Your Pasadena, CA CyberKnife Center
Even benign spinal tumors can seriously impede quality of life and require treatment – and if you or someone you love has been diagnosed with one, we can help. Call us today at 626.768.1021 to learn more about CyberKnife treatment for spinal cancer. We’ll help you understand your condition, weigh the treatments available to you, and create a treatment plan that works with your lifestyle. We can’t wait to hear from you, and we’re looking forward to helping you beat cancer and reclaim your life.