Tumors of the cervical spine: symptoms, treatment, photos

Tumors of the cervical spine develops rarely. But the metastasis of tumors of kidneys, breast or prostate (rarely other organs) often penetrate here. The cervical spine is more exposed to negative influences, and the spinal tumor often grows here. The tumor may develop from the tissue of bone or cartilage, embryonic cells. The danger of such tumors that are difficult to suspect them. Too similar symptoms to the manifestations of other pathologies of the spine. In a time when Oncology cervical spine is diagnosed, the body is often affected by metastases.

This type of cancer disease in the cervical spine are heavier than in other areas of the spine. Here the tumor is closest to the spinal cord and brain. Therefore, to carry out the operation is often impossible. If the formation is operable, the treatment primarily involves surgery and a complete or partial removal. In any case, shows radiation and chemotherapy – they will not allow cancer to grow and metastasize. To minimize pain, use pain relievers, including narcotic.

Reasons

Malignant neoplasms of the ridge in the cervical region there are primary and secondary. Come primary, and secondary from metastasis.

If the tumor is primary, appear in a large number of myeloma and sometimes plasmacytoma. The sources of this process is unknown. As a risk factor there may be carcinogens, harmful chemicals and radiation. Other possible causes – genetic factor and the power of immunity.

In most cases, cancer in the cervical spine is the result of metastasis by another tumor. The source is usually the prostate, breast or kidney. Cancer particles from infiltrating the neck of the blood flow, the lymph flow or mixed way.

• Suggest to read: a tumor of the spinal cord.

Symptoms

Tumor of the cervical spine it shows its symptoms that doctors often confuse them with symptoms of other diseases. For example, degenerative disc disease, inflammation, spondylitis,bumps, humps, hernia or protrusion. Patients themselves often do not get scared of the symptoms, considering them typical age-related changes or due to fatigue, the transferred voltage. As a result, people use typical of osteochondrosis and other diseases of the spine self – ointment, warming compresses, painkillers. The disease develops further, this "treatment" only adds to it.

Common symptoms:

• Felt muscle weakness;
• Quickly it comes to fatigue;
• Lost appetite;
• The patient loses weight;
• Manifests anemia;
• Pain syndrome;
• High temperature;
• Feeling cold in the legs.

Neurological symptoms:

• Compression of nerves and blood vessels;
• Muscle cramps;
• Numbness and partial paralysis.

Many malignant tumors develop so long that they manifest themselves over many years. In the end, the oncologist sees them only at a late stage of development, when it is evident metastasis, and pain can't be overcome by simple analgesics.

Cancer of the cervical vertebrae do not always metastasize. Depends on this point, from the health of the spine. Metastases rather will develop if there is inflammation or mechanical damage to the back.

If the spinal tumor is highly localized in the neck, the stronger it affects the brain. There is more neurological symptoms, as education provides compression on the spinal cord and prevents the withdrawal of cerebrospinal fluid – spinal fluid. Increased pressure inside the skull, very sore and dizzy. Sick and vomits many times. It gets hard to swallow. The patient experiences an aversion to meat products. Tormented by cold sweats and insomnia.

Disturbed sensitivity and mobility of the arms and legs, the muscular tissue of the intercostal space. In the end, the patient loses the ability to breathe on their own. Pre-existing conditions, passing into a swoon. Often go into a coma. The higher localized tumor in the neck, the more the symptoms affect theof the brain. It's hard to control your body and its movements. Plagued by muscle spasms. May be compromised and the kidneys – urinary bladder. Noise in the ears and suffers from bouts of tachycardia and arrhythmia, blacking out. Can run "flies" before the eyes. Cervical cancer often goes into the thoracic and lower.

Diagnosis

One of the available tests for cancer in the neck pressure on the jugular vein. If the lesion exists, pain will be very strong.

When a patient with cancer of the cervical spine, comes to the doctor usually begins to complain of symptoms of osteochondrosis or other diseases of intervertebral disks. Well, if the neurologist will be sent to pass such tests and take such studies that in principle can detect a tumor. Otherwise, the true treatment may be very protracted, and the disease is free to progress further. Until the moment when it becomes incurable and the swelling let the metastases in the spine.

Conventional x-ray examination can not identify the tumor. Another thing – CT scan of all segments of the spine. But small tumors, even she is not available, and the most efficient Magnetic resonance imaging. Unfortunately, such a study is rarely performed, if symptoms did not develop beyond the initial stage. Usually when education is found, oncologists examined him, taking in analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid. But above the waist such a study to carry out dangerous and difficult for the diagnostician.

Varieties

Tumors develop from different tissues of the cervical spine. Initiated process can be bone, cartilage tissues. Vessels and nerves.

Any fabric can become a victim of cancers, and the spine is:

• The cartilage tissue. When a tumor is formed in the intervertebral discs, education are called chondrosarcoma. It is the most common type of tumor, because the drives are constantly experiencing tension and negative impacts of the vertebrae;
• Bone. In the vertebrae can grow a tumor. Called this pathology osteoarthri sarcoma of the spine;
• Spinal cord. If this organ was a source of education, it is called myeloma. They are presented in single or larger quantities. Such tumors deform the cervical vertebrae;
• If initiated by the tumor cells is the chord of which in the embryo grows a backbone, it is called chondroma. Often manifests in people over forty;
• Ewing's sarcoma – a tumor, which usually afflict the child. Common pediatric disease.

The development of the tumor

Malignant disease in the cervical spine evolving, goes through the following stages:

• No signs of pathology there. The tumor is just beginning to develop because of uncontrollable growth of their cells;
• The tumor continues to grow, it forms its center. Deteriorate the body's metabolic process, occur constant fatigue, General feeling of weakness. People cease to want to eat and loses weight. There is a pain in the neck;
• Symptoms growing. The tumor begins to metastasize;
• Metastases increasing in quantity as the tumor grows so large that it penetrates into the spinal canal. Pinches nerves and blood vessels. The shape of the vertebrae changes, they become brittle and susceptible to fractures. Pain impossible to endure. Pathology comes in an incurable stage, the tumor is inoperable.

Treatment

The doctor decides what to do with a tumor of the cervical depending on what stage it is, to what species belongs where localized, did metastasis.

Medicines

In the early stages of the disease will help non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Diclofenac or Ibuprofen. Pain, Ketorol, or caution. In the later stages, with the development of unbearable pain, may be prescribed narcotic painkillers. Drugs such as Tramadol or Morphine. They are issued by prescription only.

• Suggest to read: the prognosis for metastases in the spine.

Surgery

If the tumor is cervical too close neighbors with spinal cord or brain, major blood vessels, it may be inoperable. Operations come in several forms:

• Radical – in their tumor fully removed;
• In partial operation, remove some of the tumor, hoping that in this case it works better the other methods of treatment;
• Palliative – used in the later stages, when metastases are already quite common through the body. Reduce the swelling to reduce pain and other symptoms of cancer.

Surgical intervention should only be used in combination with radiation and chemotherapy.

Radiation therapy and chemotherapy

These methods are used as an additionalmethod in the surgical treatment or as a standalone, if the operation to remove tumors from the cervical spine to conduct is unacceptable.

They help to reduce the tumor in size, not to allow it to develop further. But, most importantly, these treatments act on which he had already developed metastases. In the best case, when the tumor is detected early, radiation therapy and chemotherapy will not let it start to metastasize.

It must be remembered that such treatment always affects the tissues of the body and has a large number of side effects.

Forecast

How will be able to extend the life of such a tumor of the cervical spine depends on several factors. The most important of them – how early was diagnosed with a malignant education. In this case, there is a chance to prevent the development of metastases. Another point – how the patient will follow medical advice, whether to agree on all levels of treatment.

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Well, if the tumor began to press on the spinal cord and pinch the innervation and blood flow to the brain. In this case, the operation will be easier. The ability to treat the patient for one or another radical method also depends on his age and other existing illnesses. The tumor can be located with respect to the internal organs so that surgery will be impossible.

If you were able to begin to comprehensively treat a person before a tumor from the neck started to metastasize, the prognosis remains favorable. But if metastasis has already begun, to treat cancer becomes very difficult. To the extent that amenable to treatment only the symptoms, such as pain.

The forecast can be considered good if the patient managed to survive about five years after all treatment operations.

Prevention

Prevention of a tumor in the cervical spine – the same as in the case of other cancers. The best thing a person can do is to quit Smoking, contact with carcinogens, maintain a healthy lifestyle. In a separate risk group are the people whose profession makes contact with harmful chemical substances or radiation. If your family was observed cancer, or you're a representative of one of the risky professions, and try every year to visit an oncologist and undergo the recommended research.