Spine cancer -by :LAW JIA JUIN

   
     Nervous system is made up of central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. Spinal cord and brain together make up the vital central nervous system. Spinal cord is protected by spine/ vertebraes ,vertebraes are bones with lumen which made up the spinal column and bear the spinal nerves.
     Spine is such a crucial and important organ for spinal cord protection, but it is easily targeted by metastasised cancers, which spread from primary cancerous organ or site,this condition is known as secondary spine cancer. In facts cancers can actually establish from vertebrates themselves ,and this kind of spine cancer is known as primary spine cancer in which the cancers develop in the spine but not spread from other site. This primary spine cancer can be further classified into benign spine cancer and metastasised spine cancer. Benign cancer means the cancer is localized on a specific area of spine but not spreading, but it can metastasise in the later stage, in which lump of cancers dislodge from the cancerous spine area and spreading to other part of spine or even other systems and organs via lymphatic and circulatory systems. If the spine become cancerous or invaded by cancerous cells from other cancerous organs, the rapid growing cancerous cells will compete with the normal functioning spine cells for nutrients, oxygen, and space. Eventually, the spinal bones will be destroyed and the spinal column become unstable ,this will cause enormous pain, and worse come to worst the patient can become paralysis ,sensory failure and lost of bower and bladder control. In some cases ,the spinal bone will collapse and the cancer mass will collapse the spinal cord and spinal nerves. The patient quality of life will definitely be affected even in the early stage of spine cancer, this is due to the unbearable pain and the patient won't be able to stand up, walk, and even lay down comfortably, the backbone just simply cannot bear the weigh of patient and also the posture of patients.
     The aim of treatments involve pain management, removal of cancerous mass, and maintaineance of spinal bones. Vertebeoplasty or kyphoplasty is once of the effective treatment, cement is injected into the destroyed vertebrae through small needles ,X ray is used as guidance for the insertion of needle. This cement work to reinforce the destroyed bones and to relieve the pain sensation experienced by patient thus improving patoent life. If patient suffers from paralysis due to the compression on spinal cord, then surgery is needed to remove the cancerous mass which compress the spinal cord before carrying out cement injection. Secondly , metal implantation is another method. Titanium is usually chosen since it is strong, flexible, light, non rusty and corrosive, despite that it is expensive. Titanium is implanted to stabilize the spinal column and prevent further rupture of it. Cement injection and metal implantation can be carried out via open surgery and also minimal invasive spine surgery, in which small incision is carried out using special instrument. After the surgery ,short course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy are required. Together with pharmacological treatments, and other non-pharmacological treatments patient life can be improved.