A new study published in Spine examines the health-related quality of life measures for patients with primary spine tumors.
The study authors conducted a systematic literature review searching Medline and EBMR databases. There were 25 articles identified for the study. The articles all examined the morbidity and mortality profile of patients who underwent primary tumor surgery.
The researchers found:
1. The complication-related death for sacral tumors in the studies ranged from 0 percent to 27 percent.
2. The mobile spine tumor complication-related deaths were 0 percent to 7.7 percent, with the complication rates varying from 13 percent to 73.7 percent among the studies.
3. There were seven articles examining HRQOL and those studies showed compatible profiles between the spinal tumor patients and patients with benign conditions, including degenerative disc disease. However, this affect decreased when the disease reoccurred.
4. The study authors recommended that primary spinal tumor surgery "be performed in experienced centers with multidisciplinary support teams." They also recommended collecting prospective adverse event information.
5. The study authors recommended spinal tumor surgery be performed "with a curative intent whenever possible, even at the expense of greater initial morbidity to optimize long-term HRQOL.