title: Management of neoplastic spinal tumors in a spine surgery care unit.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spinal cord compression and fracture are possible complications of spine metastasis and multiple myeloma. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of threatening lesions are likely to reduce the frequency of these dreaded complications.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the proportion of neoplastic spine lesions operated on emergency.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients who underwent palliative surgery for the treatment of a neoplastic spine lesion in our institution between 2005 and 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  Percentage of patients who underwent surgery as an emergency for acute fracture or rapid neurological decline.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the data of all patients who underwent palliative surgery for the treatment of a neoplastic spine lesion from solid cancer or multiple myeloma, in our institution between January 2005 and December 2012. The study was supported by grant from our institution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 317 patients were included in the study. There were 166 men and 151 women and the mean age was 57.97 years (range 26-88; SD 12.45). The cancer was known for 224 patients, while the lesion revealed the disease for the other 93 patients. The percentage of patients with known cancer operated as an emergency in our institution decreased significantly between 2005 and 2012 (p = 0.0006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to the variability of clinical and radiological presentations, best care requires a truly multidisciplinary approach, to offer each patient a prompt and individualized treatment option, which is likely to reduce the incidence of emergency surgeries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France. Electronic address: fahed.zairi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Fahed
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zairi
authors.forename: Zairi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fahed
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France; Department of Oncology, Centre Oscar Lambret, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Marie-Helene
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Vieillard
authors.forename: Vieillard
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Marie-Helene
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Devos
authors.forename: Devos
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Patrick
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Rabih
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aboukais
authors.forename: Rabih
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aboukais
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre Oscar Lambret, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gras
authors.forename: Gras
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Louis
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Assaker
authors.forename: Assaker
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Richard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Fracture; Multidisciplinary meeting; Spinal cord compression; Spine metastasis