Primary spinal tumors are relatively rare.  Nevertheless, without treatments, patients with primary spinal tumors will ultimately succumb to their disease.  Symptomatic primary spinal tumors should be treated.  These tumors are best treated with complete surgical removal because they generally have a poor response rate to chemotherapy and radiation.  The most common malignant primary spine tumors in adult are chordoma and chondrosarcoma, while the most common malignant primary spine tumors in children are osteosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, and soft tissue sarcomas.

Long-term survival and the potential for cure for patients with primary spine tumors is correlated with the ability to achieve complete tumor removal.  The state of the art surgical technique to ensure the highest likelihood of achieving complete tumor excision is Total En Bloc Spondylectomy (TES).  This highly complex and technically demanding surgical procedure is only performed in limited centers worldwide.  Total en bloc spondylectomy allows removal of a segment of the spine as a single piece.  By removal of the tumor-affected spine in a single piece, it decreases the overall risk of tumor recurrence and improves overall survival.

Our spine surgeons at the USC Neurosurgery Spine Center are fellowship-trained tumor specialists in the treatment of primary spine tumors and we are one of the few centers nationwide that offer the cutting-edge Total En Bloc Spondylectomy (TES) procedure.  We specialized in the ability to perform safe but radical excision of chordoma, chondrosarcoma, and other primary spine tumors using a single approach and single stage procedure. In addition, the USC radiosurgery program offers the most advanced radiation treatment options for patients with complex primary spinal tumors that may not be amenable for aggressive surgical treatment.  At the USC Neurosurgery Spine Center, we have a passion to provide the most advanced treatments to improve survival and quality of life for patients with chordomas and other primary spinal tumors.  Through our surgical expertise and ongoing multi-disciplinary clinical and basic research, we strive to continuously elevate the quality of care for patients with malignant primary spinal tumors and impart prolonged survivals and improved quality of life to these patients.

For comments, questions, requests or to make an appointment, click here.