title: Presenting symptoms of neoplastic spinal cord compression.
abstract: The cases of 28 patients with neoplastic spinal cord compression were reviewed. The most common presenting symptoms were: back pain (68%), bilateral leg weakness (61%), urinary retention (36%), and bilateral leg numbness (32%). Twelve patients (43%) had known neoplastic disease prior to diagnosis of spinal cord compression. Only two patients (7%) were diagnosed within one week of the onset of major spinal symptoms. The commonest symptoms associated with delay in diagnosis were again back pain (50%) and bilateral leg weakness (38%). However, when certain symptoms were present, diagnosis was almost always delayed, particularly with unilateral leg weakness or pain (100%), ataxic gait (80%), and back pain (68%). Symptoms in the neck, chest, and arms were also always associated with delayed diagnosis.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001247:Asthenia / Q000209:etiology; D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology; D010292:Paresthesia / Q000209:etiology; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology*; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000209:etiology