Don’t ignore these spinal tumors for chronic low back pain

  1. Osteoid osteoma is a benign tumor (meaning easier to treat and less symptomatic), characterized by invasion of the posterior part of the vertebrae during youthful development. It accounts for 10% of all spinal bone tumors. The typical symptom is intractable pain, which is significantly worse at night and is sensitive to aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen. These tumors are difficult to detect on X-ray alone, but bone scans are of great diagnostic value. Treatment includes a long course of NSAIDs before progression, surgical resection of the tumor, and a new treatment method, radiofrequency ablation. Both surgical excision and radiofrequency ablation provide rapid pain relief and reduce recurrence.  2. Osteoblastoma Osteoblastoma is a larger concept than osteoid osteoma, and as the name implies, this tumor is larger, measuring more than 2 cm in diameter. Like osteoid osteoma, it mostly affects the posterior part of the vertebrae, and the symptoms are mainly painful. However, it is more severe and usually requires surgery. The recurrence rate is also higher than that of osteoid osteoma, in other words, there is a 10% chance that the tumor will recur in the same place.  Aneurysmal bone cysts are uncommon benign tumors that usually affect the posterior part of the vertebrae or the vertebral body itself. It occurs in older adolescents, and the main symptom is pain, sometimes with neurological symptoms. The cause is unknown. The best treatment options include tumor resection, tumor curettage, and vertebral decompression.  4. Giant cell tumor of bone We do not know much about this tumor. It mainly affects the vertebral body (anterior spine) and although it is theoretically a benign tumor, it is symptomatic and sometimes metastasizes elsewhere. The preferred age range is 20-40 years, but this is not absolute. Complete lumpectomy is the treatment of choice. Appropriate braking of the tumor and radiation therapy can help reduce the risk of surgery and achieve better treatment results.  Eosinophilic sarcoma is a benign bone tumor characterized by painful symptoms and “vertebral planes” on x-ray, with collapse or flattening of the vertebral body. This tumor forms spontaneously or may be part of a syndrome of other bone or other organ diseases. Treatment is highly individual and there is no single best approach. Many tumors do not require surgery, and some may even require only minor radiation therapy.  Endogenous chondrosarcoma Endogenous chondrosarcoma is a benign cartilage tumor. This swollen and growing tumor may invade the spinal canal or compress the nerves. If such symptoms occur, surgical removal of the tumor should be considered first. Endogenous chondrosarcoma has a very low chance of developing into chondrosarcoma, a low-grade malignant cartilage tumor. This rarely happens, but if the tumor is found to be rapidly increasing in size, a biopsy should be done.  7.Hemangioma Angioma is a benign tumor that can occur in the vertebral body. It occurs in the lower thoracic spine or upper lumbar spine and usually involves a single segment of vertebrae. Interestingly, not all hemangiomas have symptoms such as pain. They are more prevalent in middle-aged women.  The most common symptom of hemangioma is pain. The pain is more pronounced when the hemangioma invades the entire vertebral body. Hemangiomas can also cause pain in the lower back. There is a characteristic x-ray presentation called a “fissure”. It often involves multiple vertebrae with varying degrees of vertebral fragmentation and loss of height. If the vertebrae are severely damaged and affect the spinal cord and nerves, it can cause severe pain and lead to loss of leg p bowel and bladder function.  There are several treatment options for vertebral hemangioma, including follow-up observation p radiotherapy and surgical excision. The choice of surgical approach depends on the severity of the symptoms and the nerve involvement. The possibility of needing large amounts of blood transfusion must be considered during treatment, and the surgeon should plan carefully for each situation before deciding on a specific surgical approach.