Spinal cord tumours in the elderly.
Spinal cord tumours in patients over 65 years of age are mostly due to metastatic lesions when maximum deficit occurs within eight weeks. Benign tumours have a more chronic progressing course, are mostly in the thoracic region and, unlike younger patients, are overwhelmingly meningiomas. Although uncommon, benign spinal cord tumours should be recognised as a cause of gait deterioration in the elderly patient, as they responde well to surgery.
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008579:Meningioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery