Thyroid cancer spinal metastases: critical appreciation of the surgical strategy for spinal metastases in decision-making

ABSTRACT

"The Surgical Strategy for Spinal Metastases" has been developed to facilitate decision-making in patients with spinal metastases. The decision-making in patients with thyroid cancer spinal metastases. We have reviewed 14 consecutive patients operated for thyroid cancer spinal metastases in Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kanazawa University, Japan. The strategy score, suggested line of treatment, and the indicated course were detected for all patients whether treated before or after development of the strategy score, suggested line of treatment, and the indicated course were detected for all patients whether treated before or after development of the strategy and compared to the line of treatment used and the actual course. Postoperative survival was detected and compared between different scores. Overall, these 14 patients received 25 operations. Total scores after strategy application were 2 [7 operations; 28%], 3 [11 operations 44%], 4 [2 operations, 8%] and 5 [5 operations, 20%. The post-operative survival for patients has scores 2,3,4 and 5 were 75.6 +/- 25.8, 32.6 +/- 27.8, 23 and 18.4 +/- 9.8 months respectively. Survival correlated with the score with correlation coefficient equals -0.68 [P = 0.005]. Survival with scores 2 and 3 [candidates of long-term local control] was 19.7 +/- 10.5 months. The difference was statistically significant [P = 0.04]. In conclusion, the "Surgical Strategy for Spinal Metastases" provided appropriate guidelines for treatment in the patients with thyroid cancer spinal metastases