Cancer in the spine
Brain and spinal cord tumors can be benign or malignant.
 
Treatment Options

• Active surveillance
• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Targeted therapy

 
New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials:

• Proton beam radiation therapy

Community Medical Centers and our team of oncologists, clinicians and support services staff are experienced in treating head and neck cancer.

For more information or to request a consultation, please call (559) 387-1600.

Cervical Disc Herniation is a disorder where a nerve or the spinal cord in the neck is compressed by a piece of the intervertebral disc.

Symptoms can include:

• pain (often radiating from the neck to the arm)
• numbness/tingling (arm or hand)
• weakness (arm or hand)
• problems using your hands for fine motor skills
• difficulty/awkward walking
• loss of balance and falls

Tests:

• CT scan
• MRI
• Myelogram

Treatments:

• Rest (more than 95% recover without surgery)
• Pain medications (NSAIDs, opioids, muscle relaxants)
• Spinal steroid injections
• Physical Therapy
• Surgery, including anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and artificial disc replacement

Cervical Stenosis is a disorder where the pathways for the nerves in the neck become increasingly narrowed over time.

Symptoms can include:

• pain (often radiating from the neck to the arm)
• numbness/tingling (arm or hand)
• weakness (arm or hand)
• problems using your hands for fine motor skills
• difficulty/awkward walking
• loss of balance and falls.

Tests:

• CT scan
• MRI
• Myelogram

Treatment:

• Rest
• Pain medications (NSAIDs, opioids, muscle relaxants)
• Spinal steroid injections
• Physical therapy
• Surgery including laminectomy, laminotomy and laminoplasty

Lumbar Disc Herniation is a disorder where a nerve or the spinal cord is compressed by a piece of the intervertebral disc.

Symptoms can include:

• pain (back, often radiating into legs)
• numbness/tingling (legs or feet)
• weakness (legs or feet)
• difficulty walking and changes in bowel/bladder function

Tests:

• CT scan
• MRI
• Myelogram

Treatment:

• Rest
• Pain medications (NSAIDs, opioids, muscle relaxants)
• Spinal steroid injections
• Physical therapy
• Surgery including microdiscectomy and laminectomy

Lumbar Stenosis is a disorder where the pathways for the nerves in the low-back become increasingly narrowed over time.

Symptoms can include:

• pain (back, often radiating into legs)
• numbness/tingling (legs or feet)
• weakness (legs or feet)
• difficulty walking and changes in bowel/bladder function

Tests:

• CT scan
• MRI
• Myelogram

Treatment:

• Rest
• Pain medications (NSAIDs, opioids, muscle relaxants)
• Spinal steroid injections
• Physical therapy
• Surgery: laminectomy

Scoliosis and Spinal Deformity are disorders leading to abnormal curvature and instability of the spine.

Symptoms can include:

• pain, numbness/tingling
• weakness
• uneven shoulders/hips
• height loss

Tests:

• X-rays
• CT scan
• MRI

Treatment:

• Pain medications (NSAIDs, opioids, muscle relaxants)
• Physical therapy
• Stretching
• Bracing surgery: spinal fusion

Spinal Traumas are injuries to the spinal cord or spinal bones leading to instability or loss of function.

Symptoms can include:

• pain
• numbness/ tingling
• weakness
• difficulty walking and changes in bowel/bladder

Tests:

• X-rays
• CT scan
• MRI
• Myelogram

Treatment:

• Pain medications:
  • NSAIDs
  • opioids
  • muscle relaxants
• Bracing surgery:
  • spinal fusion
  • vertebroplasty/kyphoplasty

Spinal Tumors is a disorder resulting in the growth of abnormal cells in or around the spinal cord or spinal bones.

Symptoms can include: (Vary based on location of tumor)

• pain
• numbness/ tingling
• weakness
• difficulty walking and changes in bowel/bladder

Tests:

• CT scan
• MRI

Treatment: 

• Surgery: laminectomy with tumor resection

Thoracic Stenosis is a disorder where the pathways for the nerves in the mid-back become increasingly narrowed over time.

Symptoms can include:

• pain (often radiating into legs)
• numbness/tingling (legs or feet)
• weakness (legs or feet)
• difficulty walking

Tests:

• CT scan
• MRI
• Myelogram

Treatment:

• Rest
• Pain medications (NSAIDs, opioids, muscle relaxants)
• Spinal steroid injections
• Physical therapy
• Surgery including laminectomy, laminotomy and laminoplasty