Treatments for spinal cord tumours
Treatments for spinal cord tumours depend on the type of tumour and the grade. Your healthcare team will suggest treatments based on your needs and work with you to develop a treatment plan.
The most common types of spinal cord tumours are meningioma, astrocytoma and ependymoma.
Treatment of spinal astrocytoma
Spinal astrocytomas can’t usually be removed by surgery, so the main treatment options are:
- radiation therapy
- spinal embolization
- chemotherapy with temozolomide
Treatment of spinal meningioma
Spinal meningiomas are usually treated with surgery to remove the tumour completely. Radiation therapy may be offered if the tumour wasn’t completely removed or if surgery can’t be done.
Treatment of spinal ependymoma
Spinal ependymomas are usually treated with surgery to remove the tumour completely. Radiation therapy may be offered if the tumour wasn’t completely removed or if surgery can’t be done.
Clinical trials
Talk to your doctor about clinical trials open to people with brain and spinal cord tumours in Canada. Clinical trials look at new ways to prevent, find and treat cancer. Find out more about clinical trials.
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