Treatment of spinal cord compression due to malignant disease

Patients suffering from metastatic spinal cord compression can be treated with decompressive surgery and/or radiotherapy. The best treatment regimen remains to be established. In the present paper the authors report their experience of a therapeutic regimen with main emphasis on radiotherapy, but where selected patients were treated with laminectomy followed by radiotherapy. 67 patients were treated during a two year period, 60 with radiotherapy as the sole treatment modality. The ambulation rate after treatment was 56.7%. Degree of loss of neurological function before treatment and tumour histology were prognostic factors for a successful outcome, defined as the patient's ability to walk after treatment. The importance of staring treatment before development of advanced neurological deficits is emphasized. 8 refs., 1 fig., 7 tabs