Abstract
Spinal cord metastases are a common complication of systemic malignancy, most commonly from lung, breast, and prostate cancer. Patients may present with a variety of symptoms, most notably pain and weakness. The ultimate goals in managing these patients include maximizing neurologic function, length of survival, and quality of life. These goals can best be reached via early, accurate diagnosis followed by the appropriate treatment for a particular patient. Pharmacotherapy plays an important role in treatment for these patients not only for analgesia but also for treatment of edema with corticosteroids and adjuvant treatment with chemotherapy. The patient's prognosis defines the appropriate treatment for spinal metastasis, with the goal of maintaining quality of life. Radiation therapy continues to be a primary treatment option and a variety of new techniques are now available to maximize the radiation dose to the tumor while minimizing the dose to the spinal cord. Surgical resection and spinal stabilization also have critical roles in the treatment armamentarium. The combination of these modalities will continue to be a vital component in the treatment of metastatic spinal cord disease.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | Cancer Neurology In Clinical Practice |
Subtitle of host publication | Neurologic Complications of Cancer and Its Treatment: Second Edition |
Publisher | Humana Press |
Pages | 163-179 |
Number of pages | 17 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781588299833 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2008 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- General Medicine