title: [The indication of operative procedure for a metastatic spine tumor: a scoring system for the preoperative evaluation of the prognosis].
abstract: Since 1987, the operative procedure for a metastatic spine tumor has been decided on the basis of a scoring system for the preoperative evaluation of prognosis. Six parameters which affected the prognosis were employed in this assessment: 1) the general condition, 2) the number of extraspinal bone metastases, 3) the number of metastases in the vertebral body, 4) incidence of metastasis to a major internal organ (lungs, liver, kidneys, and/or brain), 5) the primary site of the cancer, and 6) the severity of spinal cord palsy. Each parameter was scored from 0 (high risk) to 2 (low risk) points. An excisional operation was performed when the total score was above 9 points, while a palliative operation was indicated for those who scored under 5 points. This assessment system was evaluated for 113 cases who had undergone surgery according to this criterion. The survival period of 92.3% of patients who scored less than 6 points was less than 6 months, while that of 78.3% of patients who scored more than 8 points was more than one year. The total score obtained for each patient correlated with the prognosis, and was valuable in predicting prognosis for a lesion at any stage. In conclusion, it was appropriate to indicate the operative procedure for a metastatic spine tumor according to this scoring system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tokuhashi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawano
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sano
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*