title: Surgical treatment of metastatic spinal tumor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of surgical treatment on metastatic spinal tumor.
  
  
  METHODS
  The results of surgical intervention for metastatic spinal tumor of 31 consecutive patients since October 1985 were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average survival time was 17.6 months (range from 3 months to 9 years), and 4 patients are still alive with an average survival time of 24.6 months (range, 14 to approximately 84 months). No postoperative complication was noted. The preoperative symptoms were partially relieved and neurological functions were improved after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical treatment for metastatic spinal tumor could improve the life quality, but should be adopted cautiously. The surgical procedures such as decompression and internal fixation should be involved only when neurological deficits occurred. The surgery with postoperative complementary therapy may not only improve the life quality, but also extend the patients' life span.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, CAMS & PUMC, Beijing 100730.
authors.forename: Hongguang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yipeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guixing
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Qibin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016268:Internal Fixators; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D011788:Quality of Life; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*