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Spinal Tumor Progression Rate

Spinal tumors are abnormal noncancerous or cancerous growths found in or near the bones of the spine or the spinal cord. Different types of spinal tumors have different rates of progression.

  1. General Tendencies

    • As a rule, malignant (cancerous) spinal tumors exhibit a faster rate of progression than benign (noncancerous) tumors, reports the Mayo Clinic. In some cases, benign tumors grow so slowly that they do not trigger symptoms for years or decades.

    Aggressive Benign Tumors

    • Despite general trends, certain benign spinal tumors grow quite rapidly, notes SpineUniverse. Relatively aggressive tumors of this sort include giant cell tumors and osteoblastomas.

    Slow-Growing Malignant Tumors

    • Certain malignant spinal tumors grow relatively slowly. SpineUniverse cites examples here that include chondrosarcomas and chordomas.

    Ewing's Sarcoma

    • Ewing’s sarcoma is a malignant spinal tumor known for its particularly aggressive rate of progression, reports SpineUniverse. Less than 20 percent of people with this type of tumor survive more than five years past their initial diagnosis.

    Considerations

    • The Mayo Clinic notes that benign spinal tumors—while potentially less dangerous than malignant tumors—may intrude upon nerve tissue and trigger symptoms including pain, paralysis and other nerve problems.

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