Management of metastatic spine disease

Abstract

Purpose of review: In metastatic spine disease, technologic advancements, neurologic recovery, pain relief, cost-effectiveness, and health-related quality of life have all strengthened surgery's and radiation's role in its management.We evaluated different surgical approaches to the spine and the multimodality treatment in the management of these cases.

Recent findings: Recently, the survival rate of malignant spinal metastases has rapidly improved because of early detection and multimodality treatment. The goals of surgical intervention are to prolong survival and improve the quality of life of patients.The recent evolution of imaging, radiosurgery, advanced surgical decompressive techniques and instrumentation, as well as percutaneous vertebral body cement augmentation, needs to be considered in the decision-making to optimize patient outcomes.

Summary: Management of patients with spine tumors requires a multidisciplinary team that includes a medical and radiation oncologist and a spine surgeon. Newer surgical techniques that address both tumor resection and spinal stabilization offer the best outcome in selected patients. The prognostic parameters suggested for metastatic spine tumors include the general condition of the patient, neurological status number of spinal and extraspinal metastases, primary site of the cancer, visceral metastasis, and severity of spinal cord compression.