Spinal metastases: treatment evaluation algorithm.

Spinal metastases are only apparently similar lesions, considering the large varieties of istotypes and the spread of the primary tumor. These metastases develop early and are not terminal events, they have to be considered as severe complications because, when possible, surgical treatment can improve the history of the patient in terms of life expectancy and quality of life. The approach to these lesions should be multidisciplinary in collaboration with oncologists and radiotherapists, in fact the average of survival of these patients has increased in recent years. The evolution of anesthaesiological techniques that permit surgical treatments that were once considered prohibitive. The application of new adjuvant therapy increases the effectiveness for surgical treatment. Controversy exist over the most appropriate treatment for patients with metastatic disease of the vertebral column. The purpose of this article was to determine the best sequential process to arrive at the most appropriate treatment considering the individual general conditions and the parameters of the metastases. We review 269 cases in 182 patients suffering from spinal metastases from a solid tumour treated between 1996 and 2002. As the number of treatment options for metastatic spinal disease has grown, it has become clear that effective implementation of these treatments can only be achieved by multidisciplinary approach.