Spinal cord tumorThe team of experts at the Duke Spine Center and the Duke Cancer Institute work together to determine the optimal strategy to treat spinal tumor and speed recovery.

Primary and metastatic tumors can involve the spinal cord or spinal column at any level.

Metastatic tumors are far more common than primary tumors of the spine. The most common sources of metastatic tumors are breast, lung, and prostate cancers; although any cancer type may spread to the spine.

Primary tumors of the spinal cord or spinal column are less common and may also occur at any level of the spine. Astrocytomas and ependymomas are two of the most common tumors that arise primarily in the spinal cord.

Common primary spinal column tumors include osteoblastomas, aneurismal bone cysts, giant cell tumors, chordomas, and osteosarcomas.

The treatment for spinal tumors depends on the tumor type, location, and associated symptoms. A biopsy is necessary for most spinal tumors to establish a diagnosis.

Subsequent treatments, such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy, spinal radiosurgery, or surgical excision may be necessary as well.

Physicians

Physicians offering this service include:

• Bagley, Carlos A.
  • Surgery / Neurosurgery
• Brown, Christopher R.
  • Orthopaedics
• Gottfried, Oren N.
  • Surgery / Neurosurgery
• Isaacs, Robert E.
  • Surgery / Neurosurgery
• Richardson, William J.
  • Orthopaedics

Locations

This service is available at:

• Duke Neurosciences/Spine
  Duke Clinic 1B / 1C, 30 Duke Medicine Circle, Durham, NC 27710
• Duke Neurosurgery of Raleigh
  3480 Wake Forest Road, Suite 410, Raleigh, NC 27609
• Duke Raleigh Hospital
  3400 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh, NC 27609
• Duke University Hospital
  2301 Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27710
• Lenox Baker Children's Hospital
  3000 Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27705