Patient Stories

If you have a spinal tumor, you’re not alone. Many types of cancer can spread to the spine, including breast cancer, colon cancer, and lung cancer. About one third of all cancer patients will develop some type of spinal tumor. Nationally, 25,000 to 30,000 cases of spinal tumors and spinal cord tumors each year are due to cancer that has spread from another part of the body.

We’re here to give our patients options and hope through advanced treatments.

From diagnosis and treatment to survivorship, each of our patients has their own unique journey. We’re grateful to those who let us share in those journeys, as well as those who allow us to share their stories with you.

Varkala's Story

On a routine day of weightlifting, Varkala, felt pain in his spine that he had never felt before. Tests confirmed that he had a spine tumor in his vertebrae. Little did he know that weightlifting would not only keep him in shape, but it would play a role in detecting a potentially life-threatening rare cancer.