Primary Spinal Tumors Epidemiology in Fars, Iran: A Multi-Center Retrospective Study

Background: Primary spinal tumors are rare, and epidemiologic studies on this topic are limited. These tumors may originate from the spinal cord, cauda equina, or spinal meninges. Various factors, including age and sex, influence the epidemiology of primary spinal tumors. Objectives: This study provides a descriptive report on the epidemiology of primary spinal tumors in Fars province, southern Iran. Methods: We retrospectively collected data from patients with primary spinal tumors who underwent surgery at major neurosurgery centers in Fars province from 2001 to 2019. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data concerning sex, age, tumor histology, and behavior. Results: The study included 166 patients with primary spinal tumors. The mean age of the patients was 41.9 years (SD, 17.1 years), with 55.4% being female. Among the patients, 66.9% had spinal cord tumors, 25.9% had tumors of the spinal meninges, and 7.2% had tumors in the cauda equina. Most tumors were intradural extramedullary (45.2%), followed by intramedullary tumors (42.2%) and extradural tumors (12.7%). Of the total, 76 tumors (45.8%) were classified as malignant, while 90 tumors (54.2%) were non-malignant. The most frequent histological types were ependymoma (24.1%), nerve sheath tumors (22.3%), and meningioma (20.5%). An increase in the relative incidence of astrocytic and ependymal tumors was observed compared to previous studies conducted in the same region. Conclusions: This study presents a comprehensive epidemiologic report on primary spinal tumors in Fars province, Iran. Further nationwide studies, including all diagnosed spinal tumors, are recommended.