Decompression surgery and intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) for metastatic spinal tumors

2007 ◽  
Vol 25 (18_suppl) ◽  
pp. 20515-20515
Author(s):  
K. Karasawa ◽  
N. Hanyu ◽  
T. Chang ◽  
G. Kuga ◽  
D. Yoshida ◽  
...  

20515 Background: Metastatic spinal tumors often cause spinal cord compression and jeopardize the quality of life of the patients much. To decrease the local symptomatic recurrence rate, we have been adding IORT to decompression surgery. Methods: For those patients whose life expectancy was more than 6 months were eligible for this treatment. Posterior decompression by laminectomy of the involved vertebrae was performed. Following decompression, the patient was irradiated the lesions intraoperatively with electrons generated from Microtron by shielding the spinal cord with lead plate. The central aspects of the vertebrae were irradiated by scattered electrons detouring from the edge of the lead shield up to 40% of the administered dose. Following IORT, posterior instrumentation was performed. External beam radiotherapy might be added pre- and/or postoperatively when considered necessary. Results: 108 patients were treated between 1992–2005. There were 58 males and 50 females. Age ranged from 26 to 85 with a median of 62.5. By primary sites, 26 breast, 24 kidney, 18 colorectum, 17 lung 12 prostate and 11 thyroid cases were included. Irradiated spines were cervical in 6, thoracic in 76, and lumbar/sacral in 27. Overall median follow-up period was 12.7months. Median IORT dose was 20Gy (range 15–26Gy) and median electron energy was 16MeV (range 11–22MeV). There were 37 cases with preoperative RT and 41 cases with postoperative RT. Overall median survival time was 14.5months (breast 15.3, kidney 22.6, colorectum 5.7, lung 6.2, prostate 31.6, thyroid 60.6months). Neurological response rate was 73.1%. Ambulatory rates were 87.0% for success and 80.6% for rescue by Klimo's definition(2005). There were only 8 symptomatic relapses (7%). As for major complications, only one myelopathy has been observed. Conclusions: Decompression surgery and IORT for metastatic spinal tumors with impending spinal cord compression was a promising treatment modality with excellent local control and neurological response rate and with minimal toxicity especially for those patients with long-term prognosis. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilya Laufer ◽  
Andrew Hanover ◽  
Eric Lis ◽  
Yoshiya Yamada ◽  
Mark Bilsky

Object In this paper, the authors' goal was to determine the outcome of reoperation for recurrent epidural spinal cord compression in patients with metastatic spine disease. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted of all patients who underwent spine surgery at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center between 1996 and 2007. Thirty-nine patients who underwent reoperation of the spine at the level previously treated with surgery were identified. Only patients whose reoperation was performed because of tumor recurrence leading to high-grade epidural spinal cord compression or recurrence with no further radiation options were included in the study. Patients who underwent reoperations exclusively for instrumentation failure were excluded. All patients underwent additional decompression via a posterolateral approach without removal of the spinal instrumentation. Results Patients underwent 1–4 reoperations at the same level. A median survival time of 12.4 months was noted after the first reoperation, and a median survival time of 9.1 months was noted after the last reoperation. At last follow-up 22 (65%) of 34 patients were ambulatory at the time of last follow-up or death, and the median time between loss-of-ambulation and death was 1 month. Functional status was maintained or improved by one Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group grade in 97% of patients. A major surgical complication rate of 5% was noted. Conclusions Reoperation represents a viable option in patients with high-grade epidural spinal cord compression who have recurrent metastatic tumors at previously operated spinal levels. In carefully selected patients, reoperation can prolong ambulation and result in good functional and neurological outcomes.


2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 379-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kayla Ryan ◽  
Sandy Goncalves ◽  
Robert Bartha ◽  
Neil Duggal

OBJECTIVEThe authors used functional MRI to assess cortical reorganization of the motor network after chronic spinal cord compression and to characterize the plasticity that occurs following surgical intervention.METHODSA 3-T MRI scanner was used to acquire functional images of the brain in 22 patients with reversible cervical spinal cord compression and 10 control subjects. Controls performed a finger-tapping task on 3 different occasions (baseline, 6-week follow-up, and 6-month follow-up), whereas patients performed the identical task before surgery and again 6 weeks and 6 months after spinal decompression surgery.RESULTSAfter surgical intervention, an increased percentage blood oxygen level–dependent signal and volume of activation was observed within the contralateral and ipsilateral motor network. The volume of activation of the contralateral primary motor cortex was associated with functional measures both at baseline (r = 0.55, p < 0.01) and 6 months after surgery (r = 0.55, p < 0.01). The percentage blood oxygen level–dependent signal of the ipsilateral supplementary motor area 6 months after surgery was associated with increased function 6 months after surgery (r = 0.48, p < 0.01).CONCLUSIONSPlasticity of the contralateral and ipsilateral motor network plays complementary roles in maintaining neurological function in patients with spinal cord compression and may be critical in the recovery phase following surgery.


1998 ◽  
Vol 84 (4) ◽  
pp. 472-477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernesto Maranzano ◽  
Paolo Latini ◽  
Sara Beneventi ◽  
Luigi Marafioti ◽  
Fabrizio Piro ◽  
...  

Aims and background To assess the clinical outcome and toxicity of two different radiotherapy (RT) schedules for the management of metastatic spinal cord compression from prostate cancer, we performed a prospective analysis of 44 patients with the complication. Methods Two different RT schedules were adopted, a split-course regimen of 5 Gy x 3, 4 days rest, and then 3 Gy x 5, and a short-course regimen of 8 Gy, 7 days rest, and then 8 Gy. The split-course RT was adopted for all prostate cancer patients referred to our center between 1986 and 1992. Starting in 1993, the short-course RT was added for patients with a poor prognosis (i.e., paresis or paraplegia, low performance status, and/or short life expectation), whereas others still underwent the split-course regimen. So, 27 (61%) patients were treated with the split-course and the other 17 (39%) with the short-course regimen. Medium follow-up was 48 months (range, 6 to 123). Results Back pain total response rate was 82%. Effectiveness of RT on motor and bladder capacity was conditioned by pretreatment status of patients. All 20 (100%) walking cases maintained the function, whereas 11 of 24 (46%) with motor impairment regained the ability. The difference in response rate was statistically significant (P<0.001). All 36 (100%) patients, able to void at presentation preserved the capacity, whereas 3 of 8 (38%) with sphincter dysfunction no longer needed an indwelling catheter. Posttreatment neurologic status was the only factor found to affect survival. Median survival, 9 months for the whole group, was 10 and 2 months for posttreatment walking and nonwalking patients, respectively (10 vs 2 months, P<0.001). Neither presence of other metastases nor RT regimen used (split vs short-course) conditioned response rate, duration of response or survival. Acute or late, severe toxicity was never recorded. No patient complained of spinal cord morbidity. Conclusions Both split-course and short-course RT schedules were effective and without complications. Early diagnosis was the most important prognostic factor, but there was also recovery of function in about half of the patients unable to walk, and about one-third of patients with bladder dysfunction before treatment. Since length of the course of therapy is a factor with an important impact on the patient's quality of life, the short-course RT regimen adopted in the trial merits further investigation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (9) ◽  
pp. 754-756
Author(s):  
Akshay Kumar ◽  
Nimisha Shiwalkar ◽  
Purnadeo Narpaul Persaud ◽  
Arun Kumar Haridas

A ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm complicated by spinal cord compression resulting in paraparesis although rare, can be a life-threatening condition. Despite treatment, patients may have a permanent disability due to the disease process itself or as a consequence of the surgical procedure. We describe an unusual case of descending thoracic aortic aneurysm complicated by vertebral erosion and paraparesis from spinal cord compression. The patient was successfully management by an interdisciplinary surgical approach utilizing a single-stage procedure comprising replacement of the aorta with a Dacron graft, spinal decompression surgery, and vertebral reconstruction using a titanium mesh cage.


2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 1738-1743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasir A. Quraishi ◽  
George Arealis ◽  
Khalid M.I. Salem ◽  
Sanjay Purushothamdas ◽  
Kimberly L. Edwards ◽  
...  

2001 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert F. Heary ◽  
Christopher M. Bono

Metastatic spinal tumors are the most common type of malignant lesions of the spine. Prompt diagnosis and identification of the primary malignancy is crucial to overall treatment. Numerous factors affect outcome including the nature of the primary cancer, the number of lesions, the presence of distant nonskeletal metastases, and the presence and/or severity of spinal cord compression. Initial management consists of chemotherapy, external beam radiotherapy, and external orthoses. Surgical intervention must be carefully considered in each case. Patients expected to live longer than 12 weeks should be considered as candidates for surgery. Indications for surgery include intractable pain, spinal cord compression, and the need for stabilization of impending pathological fractures. Whereas various surgical approaches have been advocated, anterior-approach surgery is the most accepted procedure for spinal cord decompression. Posterior approaches have also been used with success, but they require longer-length fusion. To obtain a stable fixation, the placement of instrumentation, in conjunction with judicious use of polymethylmethacrylate augmentation, is crucial. Preoperative embolization should be considered in patients with extremely vascular tumors such as renal cell carcinoma. Vertebroplasty, a newly described procedure in which the metastatic spinal lesions are treated via a percutaneous approach, may be indicated in selected cases of intractable pain caused by non- or minimally fractured vertebrae.


2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 324-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark H. Bilsky ◽  
Ilya Laufer ◽  
Daryl R. Fourney ◽  
Michael Groff ◽  
Meic H. Schmidt ◽  
...  

Objective The evolution of imaging techniques, along with highly effective radiation options has changed the way metastatic epidural tumors are treated. While high-grade epidural spinal cord compression (ESCC) frequently serves as an indication for surgical decompression, no consensus exists in the literature about the precise definition of this term. The advancement of the treatment paradigms in patients with metastatic tumors for the spine requires a clear grading scheme of ESCC. The degree of ESCC often serves as a major determinant in the decision to operate or irradiate. The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of a 6-point, MR imaging–based grading system for ESCC. Methods To determine the reliability of the grading scale, a survey was distributed to 7 spine surgeons who participate in the Spine Oncology Study Group. The MR images of 25 cervical or thoracic spinal tumors were distributed consisting of 1 sagittal image and 3 axial images at the identical level including T1-weighted, T2-weighted, and Gd-enhanced T1-weighted images. The survey was administered 3 times at 2-week intervals. The inter- and intrarater reliability was assessed. Results The inter- and intrarater reliability ranged from good to excellent when surgeons were asked to rate the degree of spinal cord compression using T2-weighted axial images. The T2-weighted images were superior indicators of ESCC compared with T1-weighted images with and without Gd. Conclusions The ESCC scale provides a valid and reliable instrument that may be used to describe the degree of ESCC based on T2-weighted MR images. This scale accounts for recent advances in the treatment of spinal metastases and may be used to provide an ESCC classification scheme for multicenter clinical trial and outcome studies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 332-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kei Ito ◽  
Keiji Nihei ◽  
Takuya Shimizuguchi ◽  
Hiroaki Ogawa ◽  
Tomohisa Furuya ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVEThis study aimed to clarify the outcomes of postoperative re-irradiation using stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for metastatic epidural spinal cord compression (MESCC) in the authors’ institution and to identify factors correlated with local control.METHODSCases in which patients with previously irradiated MESCC underwent decompression surgery followed by spine SBRT as re-irradiation between April 2013 and May 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. The surgical procedures were mainly performed by the posterior approach and included decompression and fixation. The prescribed dose for spine SBRT was 24 Gy in 2 fractions. The primary outcome was local control, which was defined as elimination, shrinkage, or no change of the tumor on CT or MRI obtained approximately every 3 months after SBRT. In addition, various patient-, treatment-, and tumor-specific factors were evaluated to determine their predictive value for local control.RESULTSTwenty-eight cases were identified in the authors’ institutional databases as meeting the inclusion criteria. The histology of the primary disease was thyroid cancer in 7 cases, lung cancer in 6, renal cancer in 3, colorectal cancer in 3, and other cancers in 9. The most common previous radiation dose was 30 Gy in 10 fractions (15 cases). The mean interval since the most recent irradiation was 16 months (range 5–132 months). The median duration of follow-up after SBRT was 13 months (range 4–38 months). The 1-year local control rate was 70%. In the analysis of factors related to local control, Bilsky grade, number of vertebral levels in the treatment target, the interval between the latest radiotherapy and SBRT, recursive partitioning analysis (RPA), the prognostic index for spinal metastases (PRISM), and the revised Tokuhashi score were not significantly correlated with local control. The favorable group classified by the Rades prognostic score achieved a significantly higher 1-year local control rate than the unfavorable group (1-year local control rate: 100% vs 33%; p < 0.01). Radiation-induced myelopathy and vertebral compression fracture were observed in 1 and 3 patients, respectively. No other grade 3 or greater toxicities were encountered.CONCLUSIONSThe results indicate that spine SBRT as postoperative re-irradiation was effective, and it was especially useful for patients classified as having a good survival prognosis according to the Rades score.


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