Primary central nervous system spinal cord tumors comprise approximately 1% to 2% of all childhood nervous system tumors.[1-3] As is the case for primary brain tumors, such lesions are histologically heterogeneous. Approximately 70% of all intramedullary spinal cord tumors will be low-grade astrocytomas and/or gangliogliomas. Other tumor types that occur include ependymomas (refer to the PDQ summary on Childhood Ependymoma Treatment ¹ for more information), higher-grade glial tumors, and (rarely) primitive neuroectodermal tumors (refer to the PDQ summary on Childhood Central Nervous System Embryonal Tumors Treatment ² for more information). Myxopapillary ependymomas have a tendency to develop in the conus and cauda equina regions. Symptoms and signs of spinal cord tumors are highly dependent on the location of the tumor and its extent; some low-grade spinal cord tumors are associated with large cysts that extend rostrally and caudally. At times it is impossible to distinguish a tumor that arises in the medulla from a tumor that arises in the upper cervical cord.

The classification of spinal cord tumors is based on histopathologic characteristics of the tumor and does not differ from that of primary brain tumors.[1-3]

References

1. Constantini S, Miller DC, Allen JC, et al.: Radical excision of intramedullary spinal cord tumors: surgical morbidity and long-term follow-up evaluation in 164 children and young adults. J Neurosurg 93 (2 Suppl): 183-93, 2000.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
2. Bouffet E, Pierre-Kahn A, Marchal JC, et al.: Prognostic factors in pediatric spinal cord astrocytoma. Cancer 83 (11): 2391-9, 1998.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
3. Hardison HH, Packer RJ, Rorke LB, et al.: Outcome of children with primary intramedullary spinal cord tumors. Childs Nerv Syst 3 (2): 89-92, 1987.  [PUBMED Abstract]