spinal tumor
Definition
An abnormal growth of cells that forms within or near the spinal cord, potentially compressing nerves and causing pain, weakness, or neurological deficits.
A neoplasm originating in the spine, which can be benign (e.g., meningioma) or malignant (e.g., metastasis from other cancers), classified as intradural, extradural, or intramedullary.
Examples
After binge-watching medical dramas, she convinced herself her backache was a spinal tumor plotting world domination.
The chiropractor's wild guess of a spinal tumor had the patient laughing all the way to the MRI.
He blamed his poor golf swing on a spinal tumor, but his friends knew it was just years of questionable life choices.
In a plot twist worthy of a soap opera, the villain's secret weapon turned out to be a fictional spinal tumor for sympathy votes.