India, Oct. 23 -- Spinal tumours involve a unique interaction of oncology, neurosurgery, radiology and radiotherapy. Clinical significance of spinal tumours goes beyond just growth of the neoplasm since even fairly small tumours may affect spinal cord, nerve roots and vertebral bones. Thus, advances in biology, diagnostics and local therapy of tumours have brought a change in the field of spinal oncology. An important goal of the modern approach is not only the tumour control but also its functional sparing.

Primary spinal tumours and metastases are two different groups of spinal neoplasms, which have different biological features, prognosis and therapy. Correct classification of these tumours is crucial for planning of the optimal thera...