title: The treatment of spinal metastases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The rising life expectancy of cancer patients has led to a greater need for treatment of spinal metastases. Interdisciplinary collaboration is important so that each patient's treatment can be properly tailored to the overall prognosis. The main factors to be considered are the histology of the primary tumor, potential spinal instability, and compression of neural structures.
  
  
  METHODS
  We discuss the treatment options for spinal metastases on the basis of a selective literature review and our own extensive experience in an interdisciplinary tumor center.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For spinal canal compression or impending spinal instability, the treatment of choice is decompression and stabilization, by either a dorsal approach (lumbar and thoracic spine) or a ventral approach (cervical spine). Radical ventral tumor resection is indicated only for solitary metastases in patients with a favorable long-range prognosis. If the tumor is radiosensitive, radiotherapy is given either as adjuvant treatment after surgery or as the primary treatment for multiple spinal metastases in the absence of an acute neurological deficit. Various fractionation schemes with different total radiation doses are used. Bisphosphonate treatment is an integral component of the overall treatment strategy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The treatment of spinal metastases requires interdisciplinary collaboration and must be tailored to each patient's overall prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie, Universität Köln, Köln, Germany. stefan.delank@uk-koeln.de
authors.forename: Karl-Stefan
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Delank
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wendtner
authors.forename: Hans Theodor
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Eich
authors.forename: Peer
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eysel
mesh_terms: D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000639:trends*; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*