Descriptive epidemiology of malignant and nonmalignant primary spinal cord, spinal meninges, and cauda equina tumors, United States, 2004-2007

Abstract

Background: Primary tumors of the spinal cord, spinal meninges, and cauda equina are relatively rare, and a paucity of population-based data exist on tumors in these sites. This study intends to augment the current literature by examining incidence of these tumors on a national level.

Methods: Data from central cancer registries in the National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) programs for 2004-2007 (covering 99.2% of US population) and 1999-2007 (covering 89.4% of US population) were analyzed. Analyses for diagnosis years 2004-2007 included cases of malignant and nonmalignant primary spinal cord, spinal meninges, and cauda equina tumors. Descriptive statistics including estimated age-adjusted incidence rates standardized to the 2000 US standard population were conducted for both malignant and nonmalignant primary spinal tumors from cases diagnosed during 2004-2007 as well as trend analyses on malignant cases of primary spinal tumors (n = 5103) for cases diagnosed during 1999-2007 using SEER Stat 6.6.2 software.

Results: There were 2576 cases of malignant primary spinal tumors and 9136 cases of nonmalignant primary spinal tumors in 2004-2007. The incidence of malignant and nonmalignant primary spinal tumors combined differed by age, sex, race, and ethnicity. Results of trend analyses indicated that malignant primary spinal tumors have been stable throughout the 1999-2007 period.

Conclusions: This large population-based study adds new insights into the descriptive epidemiology of primary spinal cord, spinal meninges, and cauda equina tumors by providing in-depth analyses of the incidence of these tumors on a national level.

Figure 1

Malignant and nonmalignant primary spinal cord, spinal meninges, and cauda equina tumor incidence rates are shown by primary site and histology, for the United States, 2004–2007. Rates pertain to 99.2% of U.S. population covered by eligible cancer registries. Data from 1 central cancer registry is not included. Rates are per 100,000 persons and age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population (19 age groups - Census P25-1130). “Other” includes neuronal/glial, nonmalignant and malignant, chordoma/chondrosarcoma, embryonal/primitive/medulloblastoma, germ cell tumors and cysts, glioma malignant, not otherwise specified, mixed glioma, choroid plexus, oligodendroglioma, and anaplastic oligodendroglioma.