title: "Disappearing" spinal cord compression: oncolytic effect of glucocorticoids (and other chemotherapeutic agents) on epidural metastases.
abstract: Four patients suffering spinal cord compression resulting from epidural metastases were treated with adrenocorticosteroid hormones. For 2 patients, prompt relief of symptoms followed glucocorticoid therapy alone and was associated with marked shrinkage or disappearance of the metastasis, a direct oncolytic effect of the steroids. For the other 2 patients, glucocorticoids combined with other chemotherapeutic agents caused disappearance of the extradural tumor. For 1 patient, failure to recognize the oncolytic effects of the chemotherapy led to an unnecessary surgical procedure, and for a second patient an unnecessary operation was narrowly averted. Thus, for certain patients, glucocorticoids may occasionally have a marked oncolytic effect on epidural metastatic tumors.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004407:Dysgerminoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D004824:Epidural Space; D006801:Humans; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D009192:Myelography; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012512:Sarcoma, Ewing / Q000188:drug therapy; D012782:Shoulder; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D013945:Thymoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003907:Dexamethasone; D011241:Prednisone