The symptoms depend on the location, type of tumor, and your general health. Tumors that have spread to the spine from another site (metastatic tumors) often progress quickly. Primary tumors often progress slowly over weeks to years.

Tumors in the spinal cord (intramedullary) usually cause symptoms, sometimes over large portions of the body. Tumors outside the spinal cord (extramedullary) may grow for a long time before causing nerve damage.

Symptoms may include:

• Abnormal sensations, loss of sensation:
  • Especially in the legs (may be in the knee or ankle, with or without shooting pain down the leg)
  • May worsen
• Back pain:
  • Gets worse over time
  • In any area -- middle or low back are most common
  • Is usually severe and not relieved by pain medication
  • Is worse when lying down
  • Is worse with strain, cough, sneeze
  • May extend to the hip, leg, or feet (or arms), or all extremities
  • May stay in the spine
• Cold sensation of the legs, cool fingers or hands, or coolness of other areas
• Fecal incontinence
• Inability to keep from leaking urine (urinary incontinence)
• Muscle contractions or spasms (fasciculations)
• Muscle function loss
• Muscle weakness (decreased muscle strength not due to exercise):
  • Causes falls
  • Especially in the legs
  • Makes walking difficult
  • May get worse (progressive)

A nervous system (neurologic) examination may find the location of the tumor.

The health care provider may also find the following during an exam:

• Abnormal reflexes
• Increased muscle tone
• Loss of pain and temperature sensation
• Tenderness in the spine

These tests may confirm spinal tumor:

• Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) test
• Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination
• Cytology (cell studies) of CSF
• Myelogram
• Spinal CT
• Spine MRI or lumbosacral spine MRI
• Spine x-ray