Presenting symptoms of neoplastic spinal cord compression

Abstract

The cases of 28 patients with neoplastic spinal cord compression were reviewed. The most common presenting symptoms were: back pain (68%), bilateral leg weakness (61%), urinary retention (36%), and bilateral leg numbness (32%). Twelve patients (43%) had known neoplastic disease prior to diagnosis of spinal cord compression. Only two patients (7%) were diagnosed within one week of the onset of major spinal symptoms. The commonest symptoms associated with delay in diagnosis were again back pain (50%) and bilateral leg weakness (38%). However, when certain symptoms were present, diagnosis was almost always delayed, particularly with unilateral leg weakness or pain (100%), ataxic gait (80%), and back pain (68%). Symptoms in the neck, chest, and arms were also always associated with delayed diagnosis.

Meningioma presenting with only urinary symptoms which is diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging followed by urodynamic study

“…The most common presenting symptoms of spinal tumours are back pain (68%), bilateral leg numbness (32%), urinary retention (36%) and bilateral leg numbness (32%) (3).…”