Author/Authors :
Moein, Payam Departments of Neurosurgery - Al‑Zahra Hospital , Behnamfar, Omid Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan , Khalighinejad, Nima Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan , Farajzadegan, Ziba Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan , Abbasi Fard, Salman Shahid Beheshti Medical University, Tehran, Iran , Razavi, Mostafa Shahid Beheshti Medical University, Tehran, Iran , Mahzouni, Parvin Shahid Beheshti Medical University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract :
Background: Although primary spinal cord tumors (PSCTs) comprise a minority of primary central nervous system tumors,
they often impose a great deal of morbidity on their victims. Few epidemiologic studies have addressed PSCTs in Iran.
Materials and Methods: We analyzed the demographic/clinical features of all primary intraspinal tumors (with a specific focus on
primary intradural spinal cord tumors) identified between 1992 and 2004 in three of the major related hospitals in Isfahan, Iran.
We also tracked the malignant cases until 2012. Results: 102 patients with primary intraspinal tumors were found; 82 tumors were
Intradural (36 intramedullary and 46 extramedullary) and 20 extradural. The principal intradural histological subtypes were nerve
sheath tumor (33%), ependymoma (22%), astrocytoma (16%), and meningioma (15%). 20 (19%) of the tumors were malignant. Local
pain (43%) and motor disabilities (36%) were the most common first‑presenting symptoms in the patients. Male‑to‑female ratio was
significant only in ependymoma (male:female ratio = 3.6, P < 0.05). The mean age in meningioma (57 years, standard error [SE]: 15.7)
was significantly higher than other types (one‑way ANOVA, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Our results reflect analogous frequency of
distribution for PSCTs compared with most of the previous counterpart studies worldwide. The only notable exception was the
comparatively fewer frequency of spinal cord meningioma in our study.
