A brain or spinal cord tumor is a condition characterized by the development of focal lesions of either cancerous or non-cancerous origin. Primary pathological lesions arise from the body’s own nervous system cells. Secondary tumors form when metastases spread throughout the body and begin to grow in other organs.

The rate at which neoplasms increase in size can vary significantly depending on the form of the pathology. Some malignant brain tumors grow very rapidly, while others increase only slightly over a long period of time.

The degree of danger and the symptoms caused by a tumor depend on its location and size. Tumors of the brain and spinal cord that form within important functional zones are extremely dangerous even when non-cancerous in origin.

Tumors in the brain can be:

highly aggressive (high-grade malignant) — they grow rapidly and respond poorly to treatment. The prognosis for this type of neoplasm is unfavorable;
low-grade malignant and benign — they grow slowly, and the pathological process rarely spreads to other organs.

Symptoms associated with the development of a neoplasm are usually identified by a neurologist. To clarify the diagnosis, the patient is referred for further examination.

How Diagnosis Is Performed

When a brain or spinal cord tumor is suspected, patients undergo a comprehensive set of diagnostic procedures:

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) — during the procedure, a contrast agent is administered intravenously to the patient. Throughout the course of treatment (chemo– or radiation therapy), the procedure may be repeated several times to assess the effectiveness of therapy.
Biopsy — during the procedure, the physician takes a sample of pathological tissue and sends it for histological examination. It is prescribed when the diagnosis needs to be clarified and other examination methods do not allow a reliable determination of the tumor’s characteristics.

Based on the information obtained, physicians determine the degree of malignancy and select the most effective treatment strategy for the patient.

Additionally, for tumors affecting the brain or spinal cord, computed tomography of other organs is prescribed to detect metastases.

Other types of examinations may also be prescribed. For example, when symptoms of a pituitary adenoma are present, physicians pay special attention to hormonal panel tests and refer the patient for an ophthalmological consultation.

Symptoms of Nervous System Tumors

Symptoms experienced by patients with tumors of the central nervous system vary. Depending on the location and size of the neoplasm, patients may report:

dizziness;
headaches;
loss of consciousness;
increased anxiety, hallucinations, depressive states, and other psychiatric disorders;
seizures;
sensory disturbances — vision, smell, hearing;
hormonal fluctuations.

Depending on the stage of brain cancer and the tumor’s location, other symptoms may also occur.

Symptoms of spinal cord cancer manifest as:

motor disturbances (impaired mobility of arms and legs);
back pain, pain in the arms and legs;
changes in sensitivity;
problems with bowel movements and bladder emptying.

Stages of Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors

The classification of brain tumors does not include staging. Instead, neoplasms are differentiated based on their degree of benignity or malignancy.

By degree of malignancy, the following tumor types are distinguished:

Benign tumors grow slowly and can be cured surgically.
Intermediate neoplasms have a low or indeterminate degree of malignancy (these include tumors that grow slowly but tend to recur and infiltrate normal tissue after treatment); they may progress to a highly aggressive form.
High-grade malignant neoplasms grow rapidly even during treatment.

The development of neoplasms in the spinal cord occurs in several stages. The stages of spinal cord cancer affect the severity of symptoms.

Neurological stage (may last up to 15 years) — manifests as muscle weakness, muscle discomfort during flexion-extension, decreased or abnormally high sensitivity, and periodic back pain. Often, at this stage of spinal cord cancer, the person is unaware of the disease and does not attribute much importance to the discomfort.
Second stage — tumor growth occurs, accompanied by worsening symptoms of spinal cord cancer: compression of spinal nerve roots causes severe pain, numbness and limb paralysis, and dysfunction of individual organs (depending on the neoplasm’s location). The second stage of spinal cord cancer is sometimes skipped, with a direct transition from the first to the third stage.
Third stage — motor and sensory disturbances arise, and pelvic organ dysfunction is observed. The patient suffers from unbearable pain, followed by complete or partial paralysis. The duration of the third stage is 5 to 7 months.

Treatment of Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors

The treatment strategy for brain tumors is determined based on the type. When developing the therapeutic approach, physicians also consider the neoplasm’s location, size, and aggressiveness.

Our center provides treatment for:

A comprehensive approach to treating spinal cord cancer and brain tumors involves prescribing courses of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, performing surgery to remove the pathological focus, and using other methods.

Surgery for Nervous System Tumors

During surgical interventions for tumors of the central nervous system, physicians consider the location, size, and cellular structure of the neoplasm. Our center performs the most complex operations using the latest techniques and high-precision equipment.

Surgery to remove a tumor or a portion of it helps stabilize the patient’s condition, eliminates the threat to life (if the neoplasm causes increased intracranial pressure), and allows the tumor’s morphology to be studied.

Tumor Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is part of comprehensive treatment or an independent method for managing certain types of brain and spinal cord tumors. Precisely calibrated local irradiation of the pathological focus halts its growth and promotes shrinkage.

The effectiveness of radiation therapy for most oncological pathologies of the brain and spinal cord is very high. To achieve the desired result and reduce the abnormal focus, one or several sessions of radiation therapy are often sufficient.

A course of targeted irradiation for benign and malignant brain tumors (both brain and spinal cord) makes it possible to affect only the pathological lesions, causing irreversible changes in the genetic apparatus of abnormal cells. At the same time, damage to healthy parts of the affected organ can be avoided.

Chemotherapy

Cytostatic drugs are used in the comprehensive treatment of brain and spinal cord cancer. A course of chemotherapy slows the growth and causes the death of malignant cells and prevents their spread throughout the body.

Chemotherapy is prescribed when brain or spinal cord cancer has spread to other organs. For cancerous lesions localized in different parts of the brain but not spread to other organs, chemotherapy is used in rare cases. This is due to poor drug penetration into the affected areas. The blood-brain barrier prevents medications from entering the brain.

Symptomatic Treatment

To relieve the patient’s condition, reduce cancer symptoms, and manage side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, physicians prescribe symptomatic treatment. The medications recommended for oncology patients:

reduce pain severity;
decrease the frequency and intensity of nausea and vomiting;
improve psycho-emotional state, memory, and concentration;
eliminate headaches and seizures;
normalize hormone levels.

The effectiveness of treatment largely depends on how early it is started. If the patient seeks help at the first signs of symptoms, the therapy often yields good results — the person is completely cured and lives a long, full life.

Rehabilitation

Recovery after a course of therapy is carried out under the supervision of the attending physician and a team of specialists, including a rehabilitation specialist, a physiotherapy expert, a psychotherapist, and a neuropsychologist. The duration of the rehabilitation period is determined by the severity of the patient’s condition and the extent of the surgical intervention.

Patients receiving treatment for brain and spinal cord tumors require regular follow-up examinations. These include blood tests, MRI or CT scans, and other procedures. Follow-up diagnostics should be performed at least once every six months for the first three years after treatment, and then once a year.

Pituitary adenoma

Glioblastoma of the brain

Gliomas and astrocytomas

Metastases of cancer and melanoma to the brain

Chordomas