Research progress of measurement tools for health-related quality of life in patients with spinal metastases / 中华骨科杂志

The Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) pertains to patients' subjective contentment concerning their physical, psychological, and social well-being throughout disease treatments. Predominantly employed HRQoL metrics in spinal metastases comprise the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), EuroQoL Five Dimensions Questionnaire (EQ-5D), European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30), and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G). In clinical applications, due to their broad application and diverse disease types, combined with the lack of specificity in the scale content and the prolixity of their questionnaires, these tools often fail to capture the nuanced experiences of patients, thereby compromising the reliability and validity of the results. The Spine Oncology Study Group Outcomes Questionnaire (SOSGOQ), developed by the Spine Oncology Study Group, offers a tailored metric for spinal metastases, encapsulating both specificity and inclusivity. Its proven robust reliability and validity make it invaluable for decision-making and therapeutic efficacy appraisals. The Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS), a novel metric suitable across many medical disciplines, facilitates cross-sector data acquisition, substantially augmenting the precision, sensitivity, and credibilityof assessments, and is pivotal in clinical investigations and interventions. As it continually evolves, PROMIS consistently outperforms traditional metrics in evaluative capacities, exhibiting impressive and consistent proficiency in prognostications, preoperative assessments, and therapeutic outcome evaluations within the spinal metastasis domain. Presently, Chinese research on the HRQoL of spinal metastasis patients remains scant, and choosing an apt, precise, and dependable metric holds significant clinical relevance. Drawing upon extant scholarly publications, this review concluded the current global HRQoL tools for spinal metastases, aiming to furnish insights for the clinical management and research pertaining to spinal metastases.

A Randomized Controlled Trial on Qi-tonifying, Stasis-resolving and Kidney-tonifying Treatment of Lumbar Disc Herniation / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

This study was aimed to evaluate the clinical effect and safety of Chinese medicine treatment of lumbar disc herniation with qi-tonifying, stasis-resolving and kidney-tonifying method. The randomized con-trolled trial (RCT) was applied in the study to evaluate the clinical effect of qi-tonifying, stasis-resolving and kidney-tonifying method in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation . A total of 122 lumbar disc herniation pa-tients were randomly divided into the treatment group ( n = 61 ) and the control group ( n = 61 ) . Chinese medicine treatment with the qi-tonifying, stasis-resolving and kidney-tonifying method was applied in the treatment group . And Celecoxib and Methycobal were orally administered in the control group . Then , the VAS scores, JOA scores, Oswestry disability index (ODI) were recorded and analyzed pre-treatment, four weeks af-ter treatment and the twelfth week of follow-up in order to evaluate the clinical effect . Adverse reactions were also observed and recorded at the same time to give a comprehensive evaluation on its safety . The results showed that there were no significant differences between the treatment group and control group in the baseline data before treatment . Hence , data from two groups were comparable . Compared with pre-treatment , the VAS scores and ODI scores were obviously reduced in both groups after four-week treatment . The JOA scores were increased obviously ( P both groups . There were no statistical differences between two groups . There were no statistical differences on the total effective rate between two groups . In the treatment group , four patients received surgery , four cases lost to follow-up , and four cases with mild adverse event . In the control group , six patients received surgery , three cases lost to follow-up , and two cases with mild adverse event . It was concluded that the RCT of Chi-nese medicine treatment of lumbar disc herniation with q i-tonifying , stasis-resolving and kidney-tonifying method received same clinical effect as the combination of Celecoxib and Methycobal . The Chinese medicine treatment can effectively relieve pain degree of lumbar disc herniation , improve function of the lumbar vertebrae and improve the daily life and social activity ability of patients. The short-term follow-up effects were con-firmed . However , the long-term efficacy still requires further study .

Giant cell tumor of the cervical spine: a series of 22 cases and outcomes.

STUDY DESIGN: A consecutive series of 22 giant cell tumor (GCTs) of the cervical spine which underwent surgical treatment was observed from 1990-2003. OBJECTIVE: This study reviews the clinical patterns and follow-up data of (GCT) of bone arising in the cervical spine which underwent surgical treatment. We attempt to correlate treatment and outcomes over time. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: GCTs of bone are common, aggressive, or low-grade malignant tumors that occur infrequently in the spine above the sacrum, and their presence in the cervical vertebrae is even more exceptional. Though surgical resection of GCT arising in the cervical spine is commonly regarded as a recommended treatment method, it is still a challenge to achieve satisfactory results, especially for the late or recurrent cases, and there are few large series of cases reported with long-term follow-up of this tumor that are found in special segments in the literature. METHODS: All clinical and follow-up data of 22 cases of GCT arising in cervical spine which received surgical treatment in our spine center from January 1990-December 2003 were collected. The choice of surgical intervention was based on the Weinstein-Boriani-Biagini grading system. Two meanly different protocols of surgical treatment were applied: 8 patients underwent subtotal resection (one of them died shortly after surgery and could not be followed up), 13 cases received total spondylectomy. One special lesion located in the posterior element of C7 received "en bloc" resection. For reconstructing the stability of the cervical spine, we used autologous ilium for pure bone graft, or titanium plate and titanium mesh for anterior instrumented fusion or anterior and posterior combined instrumented fusion. Postoperative radiation therapy was given in 18 cases as an adjunctive therapy method. RESULTS: One patient with C1-C2 GCT (vertebral body and posterior element involvement) who received subtotal resection of the tumor showed aggravation of neurologic deficit and died shortly after the surgery. So we had 21 cases for mid and long-term follow-up, with an average of 67.8 months, that ranged from 36 to 124 months. The symptom of radicular pain almost disappeared, and patients suffering from spinal cord compression recovered well with at least 1 or 2 levels based on Frankel grading system when re-evaluated at 3 months after operation. The rate of fusion for the bone graft is 100%. All the internal fixations were well fused and no spine instability could be seen in our series. Local recurrence was detected in 5 of 7 cases (71.4%) that underwent subtotal resection, but in only 1 of the 13 cases (7.7%) for total spondylectomy. Four cases died within follow-up and all these patients were recurrent cases. One patient developed pulmonary metastases. CONCLUSION: GCT of the cervical spine easily onsets between 20 and 40 years of age. As a kind of benign but local aggressive or low potential malignancy tumor, we should take an aggressive attitude to excise the tumor as much as possible while reserving the neural function as a precondition. Unlike in the thoracic and lumbar spine, a strictly "en bloc" resection is often not a feasible option because of the involvement of critical neurovascular structures. Total spondylectomy (even intralesional) with radiation therapy as an adjunctive treatment has significantly lowered the local recurrence rate of the GCT in the special segments.

Surgical treatments and outcomes of the chordoma in the mobile spine:15 cases review / 中国矫形外科杂志

[Objective] To investigate the surgical treatments and outcomes of chordomas in the mobile spine.[Methods]A series of 15 cases of chordomas arising from the mobile spine which received surgical treatments were retrospectively reviewed.According to the WBB(Weinstein-Boriani-Biagini)surgical staging system,the tumours mainly occupied the vertebral body areas,ic,4 to 9 radiating zones in 7 cases,expanded outside to 4 or 9 radiating zone in 4 cases,both to 4 and 9 radiating zones in 4 cases.Thirteen of them affected A to D layers,the other 2 affected A to C layers.One vertebra was involved in 9 cases,two vertebrae were involved in 5 cases and 3 vertebrae in 1 case.Vertebrectomies or sagittal resections were performed in 10 cases and total spondylectomies in 5 cases.Four patients underwent posterior approach operations and 3 patients underwent anterior approach operations for spinal reconstruction and stabilization.Eight patients received combined anterior and posterior operations for spinal reconstruction and stabilization.Tricortical autogenions bone grafts,some in titanium mesh,were used for reconstruction in 9 patients.While mesh and bone cement were uesd in 6 patients.Local radiation therapies were performed in all patients after surgeries.[Results]Clinical symptoms and neurologic deficits were relived in all the patients.Fusion of the bone grafts was got in all the 9 cases.The follow-up was 14 to 123 months,average 56.2 months.Local-recurrence could be observed in 7 cases and 4 cases died.No metastasis was seen in this series.[Conclusion]Eearly diagnosis and treatment have great effects on the prognosis of the chordoma arising in mobile spine.Total spondylectomy with postoperative radiation therapy can decline the local-recurrent rate.

Clinical character and surgical interventions of chordomas in the cervical spine / 中华骨科杂志

Objective To retrospectively study the character, surgical interventions of chordomas in the cervical spine. Methods All the clinical data of 8 cases of chordoma arising in the cervical spine which under went surgical treatment in our department from 1989 to 2006 were retrospectively reviewed, which including 5 males and 3 females. The patients ranged from 34 to 72 years at diagnosis, with an average age of 53.8 years. Surgical interventions were defined according to WBB criteria. 3 patients underwent subtotal centrum or total centrum resection, 2 patients underwent sagital resection and 2 patients received subtotal or total spondylectomy. Extracapsular excision was performed in a intradural invasion case. Autogenic iliac blocks were used as bone graft in 5 cases and titanium mesh with bone cement filling-in for anterior pedestal in 2 cases for reconstructing the stability of spine. Radiation therapy was given as an adjuvant treatment after surgery. Results Symptom of nerve root irritation disappeared or relieved prominently and the patients suffering spinal cord compression symptom got well recovery with at least 1 or 2 levels after operation. The typical “Physaliphorous cell” could be found in the oncologic examination in all those cases. Follow-up average 43.5 months, ranged from 3 to 120 months. All the internal fixation got well fusion and the rate of fusion for the bone graft was 100%. There were 4 cases in which the postoperative local recurrence of the tumor can be seen, with one patient dead of complications of high paralysis, but no local recurrence was observed in the cases which received total spondylectomy. No evidence of distant metastasis was observed in 7 cases for our series except the special intradural case which had the operation history for “sacral chordoma” before. So we consider it as a intradural metastasis case of the primary sacral chordoma. Conclusion Chordomas are rarely seen in the cervical spine and the typical clinical manifestation is rare in pristine cases. So we should think highly of the CT and MR examination for diagnosis. Total spondylectomy with postoperative radiation therapy could lower the rate of local recurrence.