Metastatic Spinal Cord Compression

Authors:
Meic H. Schmidt From Spinal Oncology Service, Department of Neurosurgery, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Neuro-Oncology Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.

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 MD
,
Paul Klimo Jr From Spinal Oncology Service, Department of Neurosurgery, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Neuro-Oncology Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.

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 MD, MPH
, and
Frank D. Vrionis From Spinal Oncology Service, Department of Neurosurgery, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Neuro-Oncology Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.

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 MD, PhD
Volume/Issue:
Volume 3: Issue 5
Online Publication Date:
Sep 2005
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.6004/jnccn.2005.0041
Full access

Approximately 70% of cancer patients have metastatic disease at death. The spine is involved in up to 40% of those patients. Spinal cord compression may develop in 5% to 10% of cancer patients and up to 40% of patients with preexisting nonspinal bone metastasis (>25,000 cases/y). Given the increasing survival times of patients with cancer, greater numbers of patients are likely to develop this complication. The role of surgery in the management of metastatic spinal cord compression is expanding. The management of metastatic spine disease can consist of a combination of surgery, radiation treatment, and chemotherapy. Treatment modalities are not mutually exclusive and must be individualized for patients evaluated in a multidisciplinary setting.

Correspondence: Meic H. Schmidt, MD, Spinal Oncology Service, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Utah, 30 North 1900 East, Suite 3B-409, Salt Lake City, UT 84132-2303. E-mail: meic.schmidt@hsc.utah.edu.
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Print ISSN:
1540-1405
Online ISSN:
1540-1413
Publisher:
National Comprehensive Cancer Network
Cover Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network
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Copyright:
Copyright © 2005 by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network 2005
Page Numbers:
9
Article Category:
Research Article
Received:
25 Jul 2005
Accepted:
10 Aug 2005
Print Publication Date:
01 Sep 2005
Online Publication Date:
Sep 2005
Keywords:
NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines; metastatic spine disease; spinal cord compression; chemotherapy; decompressive laminectomy; circumferential decompression; radiation treatment

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