Epidemiology of spine tumors presenting to musculoskeletal physiatrists.
OBJECTIVE
To report the incidence and epidemiologic formation of previously undetected primary and secondary spine tumors presenting as spinal and/or extremity pain to a physiatrist practicing in an academic or private practice multidisciplinary spine center.


METHODS
Multicenter retrospective chart review.


METHODS
Three multidisciplinary spine settings (1 academic, 2 private).


METHODS
Charts of patients from 33 academic and 18 private practice settings.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Epidemiologic data collected included incidence, age, gender, race, and duration of symptoms before initial presentation. Symptom presentation data collected included intensity of pain when supine, sitting, standing, or walking; character of the pain; pain intensity as measured on the visual analog scale (VAS); spontaneous versus traumatic etiology; unexplained weight loss; presence of night pain; and fever. In addition, the results of radiographic studies including plain films, imaging, bone scan, and magnetic resonance imaging were recorded. The type of neoplastic disease was also assessed, primary versus metastatic, as well as the metastatic source.


RESULTS
The incidence of spine tumors was.69% in academic multidisciplinary spine centers and.12% in private practice multidisciplinary spine centers. Patients with spinal pain because of neoplastic disease who presented to musculoskeletal physiatrists were an average age of 65.3 years and reported a relatively high likelihood of night pain, aching character of symptom manifestation, spontaneous onset of symptoms, history of cancer, standing and walking provoking symptoms, and unexplained weight loss. In addition, the pain intensity level ranged widely, with an average VAS score of 6.8.


CONCLUSIONS
There are many similarities and differences in the clinical presentation of patients with spinal pain from spine tumors who present to musculoskeletal physiatrists practicing in multidisciplinary spine centers when compared with those presenting to a primary care setting.
Slipman
Curtis W
CW
Penn Spine Center, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. slipman@mail.med.upenn.edu
Patel
Rajeev K
RK
Botwin
Kenneth
K
Huston
Christopher
C
Zhang
Lei
L
Lenrow
David
D
Garvan
Cynthia
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000473:pathology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010810:Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy