The most common symptom of a spine tumor is back pain that does not improve with rest. Most back pain, of course, is not caused by a spinal tumor, so an accurate diagnosis is critical. (Read more about back pain here.)
Other common symptoms of a spine tumor include:
- Sciatica (pain that runs along the sciatic nerve, which radiates from the lower back, down the buttocks and back of the leg)
- Numbness in the legs, arms, or chest
- Difficulty walking
- Scoliosis, or curvature of the spine, as a result of spine-deforming tumor growth
It is important to seek treatment as soon as possible if your pain persists and if you have a history of cancer — the spine is a common place for another cancer to spread.
Seek treatment immediately if you have:
- Impaired bladder or bowel function
- Paralysis
Spine tumors are serious and complex lesions, and they should be evaluated by experienced spine surgeons and spinal oncologists at a major medical center. At Weill Cornell, our Spinal Tumor Program provides expert multidisciplinary care for patients with both primary and metastatic spine tumors, as well as access to clinical trials.
Our Care Team
- Hansen-MacDonald Professor of Neurological Surgery
- Director of Spinal Surgery
- Orthopedic Surgeon
- Director, Orthopedic Spine Surgery
- Clinical Associate Professor of Neurosurgery
- Attending Neurosurgeon
- Director, Neurosurgical Radiosurgery
- Professor of Clinical Neurological Surgery
- Robert G. Schwager, MD ’67 Education Scholar, Cornell University
- Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery, Spinal Surgery
- Co-Director, Spinal Deformity and Scoliosis Program
- Chief of Neurological Surgery, NYP Lower Manhattan
- Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery
- Chief of Neurological Surgery, NewYork-Presbyterian Queens
- Co-director, Weill Cornell Medicine CSF Leak Program
- Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery, Spine Surgery
- Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery
- Vice Chairman for Academic Affairs
- Professor of Neurological Surgery, Pediatric Neurosurgery
- Associate Residency Director
- Victor and Tara Menezes Clinical Scholar in Neuroscience
- Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery in Pediatrics
- Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery
Reviewed by: Rohan Ramakrishna, M.D.
Last reviewed/last updated: August 2023