Spinal cord tumors often cause back pain, including:įeeling worse when you strain in any way, sneeze, or coughĮxtreme pain that isn't improved by taking medicine Weak muscles that you can't seem to control so that you fall or have trouble walkingĪn unusual feeling or sensation in the legsįeeling cold in the hands, fingers, or legs Inability to control the bowels and/or bladder Spinal cord tumors can cause many different symptoms: Metastatic (secondary) tumors, which are cancers that have spread from the lung, breast, prostate, or other organs Meningiomas, which start in the tissues around the spinal cord (meninges) Schwannomas, which start inside the peripheral nerves Gliomas (ependymomas, astrocytomas, or gangliogliomas), which are cancers that form in cells called glial cellsĬhordomas, which form in the spine and can push against it Medulloblastomas, which start in the brain and metastasize to the spine, and are most common in children Leukemia or lymphoma, cancers of the blood Spinal cord tumors affect many different areas and come in many different types, including: But spinal cord tumors often cause permanent damage to the nerves and result in disability. The earlier you tell your doctor about your symptoms, get a diagnosis, and start treatment, the better your outcome is likely to be. Some spinal cord tumors can be successfully treated. Spinal cord tumors cause problems with the nerves, blood vessels, and bones. A spinal cord tumor may form inside the spinal cord itself or around the bones that make up the spine. It's much more common to develop a brain tumor than a tumor on the spinal cord. Spinal cord tumors are relatively uncommon.