title: Surgical decompression improves recovery from neurological deficit and may provide a survival benefit in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma-associated spinal cord compression: a case-series study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malignancy-associated spinal cord compression is generally treated by surgical decompression, radiotherapy or a combination of both. Since diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is highly sensitive to both chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the role of surgical decompression in the treatment of DLBCL-associated spinal cord compression remains unclear. We therefore conducted a retrospective review to investigate the impact of surgical decompression on recovery from neurological deficit caused by DLBCL-associated spinal cord compression and patients' overall survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between March 2001 and September 2011, 497 newly diagnosed DLBCL patients were reviewed, and 11 cases had DLBCL-associated spinal cord compression. Six cases were treated surgically and five cases nonsurgically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rates of complete recovery from neurological deficit were 100% (6/6) and 20% (1/5) for patients in the surgical and nonsurgical groups, respectively (P = 0.015), while the median survival for patients in the surgical and nonsurgical groups was 48.6 months and 17.8 months, respectively (P = 0.177).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that surgical decompression can improve recovery from neurological deficit in patients with DLBCL-associated spinal cord compression, possibly providing these patients a survival benefit.
authors.forename: Ching-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hung-Chieh
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Youngsen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ren-Ching
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wen-Li
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Chieh-Lin Jerry
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Teng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult