Primary Benign Spinal Tumors

Abstract

Primary bone tumors are rare, accounting for approx 0.4% of all tumors, and primary spine tumors represent only approx 10% of all bone tumors (1,2). Overall, primary spine tumors are much less common than metastatic lesions to the spine. The nature of a primary bone tumor of the spine depends largely on the location of the lesion and the age of the patient. Lesions located within the vertebral body are far more likely to represent a malignancy, particularly a metastatic lesion, than lesions in the posterior elements. Up to 75% of tumors located within the vertebral body are malignant, compared with only 35% found in the posterior elements (3). Metastatic lesions involve the vertebral body initially in approx 85% of cases, and are seven times more likely to involve the vertebral body than the posterior elements.