title: Survival in patients with metastatic spinal cord compression from prostate cancer is associated with the number of extra-spinal organs involved.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the predictive value of the number of extra-spinal organs involved by metastases for survival in metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) from prostate cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 95 patients irradiated with 10 × 3 Gy for MSCC from prostate cancer, seven factors were investigated: Age, performance score, number of involved vertebrae, interval from prostate cancer diagnosis to MSCC, pre-radiotherapy ambulatory status, time to motor deficits development, number of involved extra-spinal organs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six-month survival rates for 0, 1 and ≥ 2 involved extra-spinal organs, were 81, 53 and 33%, respectively (p<0.001). On multivariate analysis, the number of involved extra-spinal organs maintained significance (risk ratio 1.88, p=0.023). Better performance score (p<0.001), longer interval from prostate cancer diagnosis to radiotherapy of MSCC (p<0.001), and being ambulatory prior to radiotherapy (p=0.001) were also positively associated with survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of extra-spinal organs involved by metastases predicts survival in patients with MSCC from prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, D-23538 Lübeck, Germany. Rades.Dirk@gmx.net.
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bartscht
authors.forename: Johann H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Karstens
authors.forename: Steven E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Schild
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rades
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary
keywords: Prostate cancer; extra-spinal organs; irradiation; metastatic spinal cord compression; prognosis; survival