Current Management and Treatment Modalities for Intramedullary Spinal Cord Tumors

Abstract

Intramedullary spinal cord tumors are rare central nervous system tumors with unique challenges due to the eloquence of the surrounding tissue. Their treatment and prognosis is largely dependent on tumor histology and patient functionality. The introduction and advancement of microsurgical techniques have made surgery the mainstay of treatment for intramedullary tumors. Tumors that are well demarcated (e.g., ependymomas, hemangioblastomas) can be resected for cure, while more infiltrative tumors (e.g., high-grade astrocytomas) are typically managed with biopsies or limited resections in order to minimize the significant risk of damage to the spinal cord. The use of more aggressive surgical resection for astrocytoma is controversial but may have an increasing role in select cases. The use of intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring and intraoperative ultrasound may help guide the extent of surgery while minimizing damage to normal tissue. Advances in MRI technology have greatly aided the diagnosis and preoperative planning of intramedullary tumors. Further advances in intraoperative MRI may make this a useful tool in guiding extent of resection. Preoperative functional status is the most important predictor of neurologic outcome, while histology and extent of resection are the most important predictors of progression-free survival. The use of adjuvant radiation and chemotherapy is dependent on patient age and histology but is largely reserved for high-grade tumor histologies or systemic involvement. Children are particularly at risk of radiation-induced injury, and these cases may benefit from more focused stereotactic radiation where necessary. Further studies are needed to support new surgical strategies minimizing destabilization and to investigate new forms of adjuvant therapy to minimize toxicity.

Pediatric spinal cord astrocytomas: a retrospective study of 348 patients from the SEER database

“…We recognize the confounding effect that chemotherapy may have in survival prolongation, and with conflicting evidence for a specific chemotherapy regimen, realize the importance of better understanding its role in the treatment of these tumors. 2,14 Additionally, evidence from previous studies of smaller cohorts suggests that the rare complication of hydrocephalus is a poor predictor of survival in patients with spinal cord astrocytomas. This outcome was not a recorded variable in the database, and thus we could not assess this association or the prevalence of hydrocephalus in our cohort of patients.…”

The role of 5-aminolevulinic acid in spinal tumor surgery: a review

“…Currently, the primary treatment for these tumors consists of maximal safe resection with preservation of neurologic function [ 4 – 10 ]. Unfortunately, subtotal resection is not uncommon particularly with intramedullary ependymoma (19–44%) and astrocytoma (60–94%), in part because of premature termination of surgery for deterioration in intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring, residual tumor not visible with conventional surgical techniques, an indistinct plane of resection, or diffuse infiltration of the spinal cord [ 3 – 6 , 9 , 11 – 15 ].…”

Magnetic Drug Targeting: A Novel Treatment for Intramedullary Spinal Cord Tumors

“…Treatment of high-grade intramedullary spinal cord tumors (IMSCTs) presents a significant challenge to the spinal oncology community 4 , 20 . IMSCTs carry a poor prognosis with a mean survival of 15.5 months 5 .…”