TY - JOUR
T1 - Management of metastatic spinal cord compression
AU - Sodji, Quaovi
AU - Kaminski, Joseph Michael
AU - Willey, Christopher
AU - Kim, Nathan
AU - Mourad, Waleed
AU - Vender, John
AU - Dasher, Byron
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2017 by The Southern Medical Association.
PY - 2017/9/1
Y1 - 2017/9/1
N2 - Cancer metastasis is a key event in tumor progression associated not only with mortality but also significant morbidity. Metastatic disease can promote end-organ dysfunction and even failure through mass effect compression of various vital organs including the spinal cord. In such cases, prompt medical attention is needed to restore neurological function, relieve pain, and prevent permanent damage. The three therapeutic approaches to managing metastatic spinal cord compression include corticosteroids, surgery, and radiation therapy. Although each may improve patients' symptoms, their combination has yielded the best outcome. In cancer patients with clinical suspicion of spinal cord compression, dexamethasone should be initiated followed by surgical decompression, when possible, and radiation. The latter becomes the preferred treatment in patients with inoperable disease.
AB - Cancer metastasis is a key event in tumor progression associated not only with mortality but also significant morbidity. Metastatic disease can promote end-organ dysfunction and even failure through mass effect compression of various vital organs including the spinal cord. In such cases, prompt medical attention is needed to restore neurological function, relieve pain, and prevent permanent damage. The three therapeutic approaches to managing metastatic spinal cord compression include corticosteroids, surgery, and radiation therapy. Although each may improve patients' symptoms, their combination has yielded the best outcome. In cancer patients with clinical suspicion of spinal cord compression, dexamethasone should be initiated followed by surgical decompression, when possible, and radiation. The latter becomes the preferred treatment in patients with inoperable disease.
KW - Cancer metastasis
KW - Radiation therapy
KW - Spinal cord compression
KW - Stereotactic body radiotherapy
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U2 - 10.14423/SMJ.0000000000000700
DO - 10.14423/SMJ.0000000000000700
M3 - Review article
C2 - 28863223
AN - SCOPUS:85030612384
SN - 0038-4348
VL - 110
SP - 586
EP - 593
JO - Southern medical journal
JF - Southern medical journal
IS - 9
ER -