Common Causes Of A Spinal Cord Injury

Cancer

Certain types of cancer can lead to a spinal cord injury. The most common reason is because the cancer has either begun in the spine or spread there. Tumors may occur in the spinal cord and lead to injury, or they may affect other structures within the spine. There have been many advances in cancer treatment over the past few decades that increase the quality of life and improve the prognosis of patients with spinal tumors. Tumor-related spinal cord injuries can be complicated to treat. Some patients may be able to have the tumor removed through surgery, but the risks might outweigh the benefits for others. There are also some cases where surgery is literally impossible. Treating the inflammation and swelling of a spinal cord injury may be complicated when it's caused by cancer. If the cancer is advanced enough to lead to a spinal cord injury, the prognosis isn't often good.