title: [Primary malignant lymphoma of the spine: clinical aspects and therapeutic advances].
abstract: Malignant lymphomas are occasionally encountered in the spine, where they are usually secondary deposits. The authors report the case of a primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the L1 vertebra in whom surgical treatment (two operations and double approach) was followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The diagnosis is often made at a late stage, when neurological deficits produced by epidural compression become evident. The surgical treatment is only palliative but has several goals: obtaining a biopsy, improving the neurological symptoms through decompression, stabilizing and "rebuilding" the spinal column; it is performed using posterior, anterior or combined approaches which are discussed. The combined surgical, radiotherapeutic and polychemotherapeutic treatment is associated with a 5-year survival rate of 60-80%. Such a prognosis justifies the risk of surgery which will lead to a stable and lasting reconstruction.
authors.affiliation: Service de Chirurgie Orthopédique, Hôpital de Braine-l'Alleud-Waterloo, Braine-l'Alleud, Belgique.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Toussaint
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Massager
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mathy
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Finet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vanderick
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Monseu
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D016268:Internal Fixators; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009985:Orthopedics; D010166:Palliative Care; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013131:Spine / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery