Introduction: To study the relative frequency of primary spinal cord tumors and their features in Indian populations and comparison with other reports
Methods: Data of primary spinal cord tumors operated between 2009 and 2013 was collected and analyzed.
Results: Of the 192 patients operated at our center, 88 (45.83) patients were male and 104 (54.17) were females. The mean age at surgery was 45.09 years (range 5 years 11 months to 87 years). Of these tumors, 103 cases were intradural extramedullary (53.64%), 30 cases were intramedullary (15.63%), 16 cases (8.34%) were epidural tumors and 43 patients (22.40%) were dumbbell tumors. The histopathological diagnosis was 97 schwannomas, 23 neurofibromas, 17 meningiomas, 12 ependymomas, 7 hemangiomas, 6 hemangioblastomas, 7 chordomas, 5 astrocytomas, 3 lipomas and 15 tumors of various other diagnoses including very rare malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor transformed from ganglioneuroma developed 30 years after radiation (19th reported case). Outcome analysis was also done and 87.5% patients described good to excellent outcome. As against most Non-Asian studies, relative frequency of nerve sheath tumors (62.5%) appears higher than meningiomas (14.17%).
Conclusions: This is the largest single institutional review for spinal cord tumors in Indian population with demographic, histopathological and outcome analysis. Formation of spinal cord tumor registry is important to ascertain the demographic variations amongst different populations to indicate etiological agents.
Patient Care: By knowing the pattern and incidence of tumors in spinal tumors, the surgeon can anticipate and be prepared for the tumor surgery. Varying incidence amongst populations may point towards appropriate etiological agents.
Learning Objectives: BY conclusion of this session, participants should be able to 1. Understand the difference in demographic profile and incidence of tumors in different population. 2. Understand importance of and thereby aim to participate in a spinal cord tumor registry 3. motivate and participate in a multicentric study designed to understand the pattern of spinal cord tumors. 4. Compare the results and outcome of tumor surgeries and thereby target their skill development towards particular technique to avoid therapeutic misadventures