Scoring system for the preoperative evaluation of metastatic spine tumor prognosis.

An assessment system for the prognosis of metastatic spine tumors was evaluated for 64 cases who had undergone surgery. Six parameters were employed in the assessment system: 1) the general condition, 2) the number of extraspinal bone metastases, 3) the number of metastases in the vertebral body, 4) metastases to the major internal organs (lungs, liver, kidneys, and brain), 5) the primary site of the cancer, and 6) the severity of spinal cord palsy. Each parameter ranged from 0 to 2 points. The total score obtained for each patient can be correlated with the prognosis, while being valuable in predicting it. However, the prognosis could not be predicted from a single parameter. In conclusion, an excisional operation should be performed on those cases who scored above 9 points, while a palliative operation is indicated for those who scored under 5 points.