PMID: 8975391Nov 1, 1996Paper

Radiotherapy of epidural metastases with spinal cord compression

Strahlentherapie und Onkologie : Organ der Deutschen Röntgengesellschaft ... [et al]
W WagnerN Willich

Abstract

We have evaluated the records of patients who developed epidural metastases with spinal cord compression and underwent X-ray therapy in combination with dexamethasone. The results, prognostic factors and live-tables will be demonstrated. Between 1984 and 1995 48 patients were treated at the Department of Radiooncology at the University of Münster because of epidural metastases. All but 3 cases were histologically proved. Three patients were irradiated without definitive histology because of clinical symptoms and CT or MR-imaging. Only patients with solid tumors were considered-patients with systemic diseases like leukemia or lymphoma were not analysed. In all of our cases irradiation was combined with systemic steroid application. Radiotherapy was performed with cobalt-60 or with an accelerator with total doses between 25 Gy and 40 Gy. The combination of irradiation and steroids had resulted in pain relief in about 80% of all patients. The ambulatory status after paraparesis was restituted in 35%. Best prognosis had been seen in patients with the following criterions: primary tumor should be breast cancer, no evidence of other tumor manifestation, no signs of paraparesis or paraplegia before the beginning of irradiation or rega...Continue Reading

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