title: Managing malignant spinal cord compression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spinal malignancy can present as low back pain and accounts for most cases of spinal cord compression (SCC).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assist the clinician in the diagnosis of malignant SCC and to increase awareness of various treatment modalities. A clinical approach for the workup of patients with 'metastatic carcinoma of unknown primary' is also outlined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is important to diagnose SCC early and initiate urgent treatment to obtain optimum patient outcomes. Further management includes workup for the primary tumour source if unknown.
authors.affiliation: Liverpool Hospital, New South Wales.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kneebone
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sheridan
mesh_terms: D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology; D009382:Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids