Although rare, several types of tumour can affect the spine. Spinal tumours that originate from the vertebra (bone), spinal cord or nerves are known as primary tumours. There are also tumours that spread to the spine from cancer starting elsewhere in the body; these are called secondary tumours or metastases. Spinal tumours can cause pressure on the spinal cord and/or nerves and depending on where the tumour is in your spine, different areas of your body can be affected.
Symptoms may include pain in the neck, upper or lower back and in your arms or legs. You can also experience numbness, tingling or weakness in the arms, legs, on your body or around your bottom. You can have difficulty with balance and/or difficulty in walking. Occasionally people can have problems with going to the toilet (controlling your bladder and/or bowel function).
Tests to diagnose a spinal tumour most typically include MRI and CT scans.
You may need to have surgery to remove the tumour, or as much of the tumour as possible. You may also have radiotherapy or chemotherapy after surgery or as the main treatment depending on the type of tumour. Your doctor may also give you steroids to help control any symptoms.
Patient contact
General enquiries
Service management
Aisha Banwait
Other contact information
Assistant General Manager:
Natalie Temperley
n.insley@nhs.net
Emergencies only:
020 3456 7890 followed by bleep 8100
07960 664901
Address
National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
33 Queen Square
London WC1N 3BG
Referral address
Please refer via NHS e-Referral Service (formerly Choose and Book referrals)
Tertiary Referrals
Referral contact address:
Victor Horsley, Spinal NeurosurgeryThe National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery33 Queen Square, Box 8London WC1N 3BG
Email: uclh.neurosurgery.admin@nhs.net
MSCC Service
The referrer should visit www.referapatient.org
When the referrer is logged on, they will be able to refer the patient by submitting the online referral form.
The referrals received via refer a patient are constantly monitored by the on-call neurosurgical team.
At this point, the images should be sent via Image Exchange Portal to UCLH.
If the patient requires surgery, a bed will be ring-fenced for the patient and the team will be on stand-by to receive the patient.
The referring hospital will be responsible for making appropriate transport arrangements for transfer of the patient to the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery.
The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery will be responsible for arranging transport at the time of repatriation of the patient following treatment.
If you have any queries, please contact the MSCC co-ordinator on 07903 531 674 or email uclh.nhnn.neurosurgery.mscc@nhs.net
If your scans do show there is a tumour in your spine, your case will be discussed in the Spinal MDT. This is a meeting where experts from several different areas get together to discuss your case and review any imaging (MRI, CT, X-Rays) you may have had. The meeting is attended by consultant spinal neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, and oncologists, as well as expert nurses and therapists.
At this meeting plans will be made about what may be the best type of treatment for your particular problem. Most commonly, you will then be seen in outpatients by one of the consultants to discuss the potential treatment options and to answer any questions that you have about your problem.
Depending on the area of the spine affected by the tumour, patients can have very different problems. For example, these might involve problems with movement, and sensation in your arms, legs and body.
Spinal tumours can affect the messages getting from our brain to the rest of the body. This can cause problems with controlling movement in the arms, legs and trunk as well as problems with sensation or numbness. These difficulties can have an impact on how you move, or how independently you can do daily activities.
If you experience difficulties in any of these areas during your treatment journey you may be seen by one, or more, of our specialist therapy services.
Meet the spinal tumours team
Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS)
Jacqueline is an advanced nurse practitioner and has worked with spinal patients for the past 25 years, the last ten at Queen Square. She has extensive experience and expertise in caring for patients with a wide range of spinal conditions including spinal cord injury, spinal deformity, spinal infection, primary spinal tumours and metastatic spinal tumours.
Jacqueline is an integral member of the complex surgical spinal team and provides specialist care and support for patients with complicated spinal problems. She works mainly with patients undergoing emergency and elective spinal procedures and provides support to patients, their families and other health care professionals within the inpatient and outpatient settings.
"I believe it is my responsibility to ensure that my team and I provide the best possible care to my patients"
