Diagnosis and treatment of spinal and spinal cord tumors in children

Spinal and spinal cord tumors in children are rare and often present with non-specific symptoms, leading to delayed diagnosis and potentially catastrophic consequences. Most pediatric spinal tumors in children are benign tumors, primarily including osteoid osteomas, osteoblastomas and aneurysmal bone cysts. Malignant spinal tumors are extremely rare, mainly including osteosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, lymphoma and metastatic neuroblastoma. Pediatric spinal cord tumors mostly include astrocytomas, ependymomas and schwannomas. There are also congenital benign tumors, such as lipomas and teratomas, which are relatively not uncommon. This article provides a review of the clinical characteristics of spinal and spinal cord tumors in children, with the aim of improving clinical understanding of pediatric spinal and spinal cord tumors, and guiding diagnosis and treatment.