Microwave ablation combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty for treating painful non-small cell lung cancer with spinal metastases under real-time temperature monitoring.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively study the therapeutic effect and safety performance of the combination strategies of the computed tomography (CT)-guided microwave ablation (MWA) and percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) as a treatment for painful non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with spinal metastases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review included 71 patients with 109 vertebral metastases who underwent microwave ablation combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty by the image-guided and real-time temperature monitoring. Treatment efficacy was determined by comparing visual analog scale (VAS) scores, daily morphine equivalent opioid consumption, and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores before treatment and during the follow-up period. RESULTS: Technical success was achieved in all patients. The mean pre-procedure VAS score and morphine doses were 6.6 ± 1.8 (4-10) and 137.2 ± 38.7 (40-200) mg, respectively. The mean VAS scores and daily morphine doses at 24 h and 1, 4, 12, and 24 weeks postoperatively were 3.3 ± 1.9 and 73.5 ± 39.4 mg; 2.2 ± 1.5 and 40.2 ± 29.8 mg; 1.7 ± 1.2 and 31.3 ± 23.6 mg; 1.4 ± 1.1 and 27.3 ± 21.4 mg; and 1.3 ± 1.1 and 24.8 ± 21.0 mg, respectively (all P < 0.001). ODI scores significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Minor cement leakage occurred in 51 cases (46.8%), with one patient having a grade 3 neural injury. No local tumor progression was observed by follow-up imaging. CONCLUSIONS: MWA combined with PVP can significantly relieve pain and improve patients' quality of life, which implied this is an effective treatment option for painful NSCLC with spinal metastases. Additionally, its efficacy should be further verified through the mid- and long-term studies.

Safety and clinical efficacy of microwave ablation combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty in the treatment of multisegmental spinal metastases.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of microwave ablation (MWA) combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) in the treatment of multisegmental (2-3 segments) osteolytic spinal metastases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study comprised a retrospective analysis of data from 20 patients with multisegmental (2-3 segments) osteolytic spinal metastases who received MWA combined with PVP. The visual analog scale (VAS) score, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score, Quality of Life Questionnaire-Bone Metastases 22 (QLQ-BM22), and local recurrence before and after the operation were measured. The occurrence of complications was observed to evaluate safety. RESULTS: All operations were completed successfully with no serious complications. Transient nerve injury occurred in two cases, but recovered after symptomatic treatment. The bone cement leakage rate was 13.9% (6/43). The mean baseline VAS scores were 7.25 ± 0.91 before treatment and 7.25 ± 0.91, 3.70 ± 1.12, 2.70 ± 0.73, 2.40 ± 0.68, 2.25 ± 0.71, and 2.70 ± 0.92 at 1 day, 1 week, 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment; all values were significantly lower (P < 0.001). The mean baseline ODI score decreased from 56.90 ± 9.74 before treatment to 41.90 ± 7.09, 38.10 ± 7.93, and 38.80 ± 10.59 at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment, respectively; all values were significantly lower (P < 0.001). The average QLQ-BM22 baseline score decreased from 54.10 ± 5.36 before treatment to 44.65 ± 5.22, 43.05 ± 4.78, 42.30 ± 4.06, and 42.15 ± 5.47 at 1 week, 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment; all values were significantly lower (all P < 0.001). The postoperative survival time of all patients was >6 months. In three patients, four vertebral segments recurred 6 months after operation. CONCLUSION: MWA combined with PVP is a safe and effective treatment for multisegmental osteolytic vertebral metastases that can effectively relieve pain, improve spinal function, improve quality of life, and delay tumor progression. However, it is a long operation, necessitating good preoperative preparation and effective intraoperative pain relief measures.

Tumor treating fields suppress tumor cell growth and neurologic decline in models of spinal metastases.

Spinal metastases can result in severe neurologic compromise and decreased overall survival. Despite treatment advances, local disease progression is frequent, highlighting the need for novel therapies. Tumor treating fields (TTFields) impair tumor cell replication and are influenced by properties of surrounding tissue. We hypothesized that bone's dielectric properties will enhance TTFields-mediated suppression of tumor growth in spinal metastasis models. Computational modeling of TTFields intensity was performed following surgical resection of a spinal metastasis and demonstrated enhanced TTFields intensity within the resected vertebral body. Additionally, luciferase-tagged human KRIB osteosarcoma and A549 lung adenocarcinoma cell lines were cultured in demineralized bone grafts and exposed to TTFields. Following TTFields exposure, the bioluminescence imaging (BLI) signal decreased to 10%-80% of baseline, while control cultures displayed a 4.48- to 9.36-fold increase in signal. Lastly, TTFields were applied in an orthotopic murine model of spinal metastasis. After 21 days of treatment, control mice demonstrated a 5-fold increase in BLI signal compared with TTFields-treated mice. TTFields similarly prevented tumor invasion into the spinal canal and development of neurologic symptoms. Our data suggest that TTFields can be leveraged as a local therapy within minimally conductive bone of spinal metastases. This provides the groundwork for future studies investigating TTFields for patients with treatment-refractory spinal metastases.

Updates in the Management of Metastatic Spine Disease.

The number of cancer diagnoses continues to increase each year in the United States, and given the propensity for bone metastases from solid organ malignancies, orthopaedic spine surgeons will inevitably encounter patients with metastatic spine disease and need to have a framework for approaching the evaluation and treatment of these complex patients. Many patients seeking care for spinal metastases already have a history of disseminated malignancy, but metastatic spine disease itself will be the presenting symptom of cancer in approximately 20% of patients. Because the first presentation of cancer may be to a spine surgeon, an appropriate strategy for the initial evaluation of a patient with a new spinal lesion is critical to establish the diagnosis of metastatic disease before undergoing treatment. Once the diagnosis of metastatic spine disease is confirmed, decisions regarding treatment should be made in coordination with a multidisciplinary team including radiation oncology and medical oncology. Spinal metastases are most often treated with radiation therapy. Direct circumferential decompression of the spinal cord with postoperative radiation therapy is considered for high-grade epidural spinal cord compression to preserve neurologic function. Mechanical spinal instability is another potential indication for surgery. When considering surgery, the patient's medical fitness, systemic burden of cancer, and overall prognosis all must be accounted for, and the importance of multidisciplinary evaluation and shared decision making cannot be overstated.

[Pediatric spinal tumors]. / Spinale Tumoren im Kindesalter.

Pediatric spinal tumors are rare and manifest frequently with unspecific symptoms, frequently resulting in delayed diagnosis. Many spinal tumor entities in children and adults are similar, but the lesions demonstrate a different prevalence and sometimes a different molecular genetic profile in children. For radiological evaluation of spinal tumor lesions, it is helpful to define the affected anatomical compartment. Important intradural pediatric tumor entities are astrocytomas, ependymomas, nerve sheath tumors, and liquorgenic metastases of intracranial neoplasms. Extradural masses are mostly primary tumors originating from osseous elements of the spine. Bone metastases are rare in children and can occur, for example, in neuroblastoma. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most important noninvasive method for radiological spinal tumor evaluation.

Metastatic Lesions of the Brain and Spine.

Brain and spinal metastases are common in cancer patients and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Continued advancement in the systemic care of cancer has increased the life expectancy of patients, and consequently, the incidence of brain and spine metastasis has increased. There has been an increase in the understanding of oncogenic mutations, and research has also demonstrated spatial and temporal mutations in patients that may drive overall treatment resistance and failure. Combinatory treatments with radiation, surgery, and newer systemic therapies have continued to increase the life expectancy of patients with brain and spine metastases. Given the overall complexity of brain and spine metastases, this chapter aims to give a comprehensive overview and cover important topics concerning brain and spine metastases. This will include the molecular, genetic, radiographic, surgical, and non-surgical treatments of brain and spinal metastases.

Malignant Spinal Tumors.

Malignant spinal tumors constitute around 22% of all primary spinal tumors. The most common location of metastases to the spinal region is the extradural compartment. The molecular and genetic characterization of these tumors was the basis for the updated WHO classification of CNS tumors in 2016, where many CNS tumors are now diagnosed according to their genetic profile rather than relying solely on the histopathological appearance. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the current gold standard for the initial evaluation and subsequent follow-up on intradural spinal cord tumors, and the imaging sequences must include T2-weighted images (WI), short time inversion recovery (STIR), and pre- and post-contrast T1-WI in the axial, sagittal, and coronal planes. The clinical presentation is highly variable and depends on the tumor size, growth rate, type, infiltrative, necrotic and hemorrhagic potential as well as the exact location within the spinal compartment. Surgical intervention remains the mainstay of management of symptomatic and radiographically enlarging spinal tumors, where the goal is to achieve maximal safe resection. Tumor recurrences are managed with repeat surgical resection (preferred whenever possible and safe), radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or any combination of these therapies.

Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MR Perfusion: Role in Diagnosis and Treatment Follow-Up in Patients with Vertebral Body Tumors.

Recent therapeutic advances have led to increased survival times for patients with metastatic disease. Key to survival is early diagnosis and subsequent treatment as well as early detection of treatment failure allowing for therapy modifications. Conventional MR imaging techniques of the spine can be at times suboptimal for identifying viable tumor, as structural changes and imaging characteristics may not differ pretreatment and posttreatment. Advanced imaging techniques such as DCE-MRI can allow earlier and more accurate noninvasive assessment of viable disease by characterizing physiologic changes and tumor microvasculature.

Management Algorithm for Osseous Metastatic Disease: What the Treatment Teams Want to Know.

Radiologists play a primary role in identifying, characterizing, and classifying spinal metastases and can play a lifesaving role in the care of these patients by triaging those with instability to urgent spine surgery consultation. For this reason, an understanding of current treatment algorithms and principles of spinal stability in patients with cancer is vital for all who interpret spine studies. In addition, advances in imaging allow radiologists to provide more accurate diagnoses and characterize pathology, thereby improving patient safety.

Malignant spinal cord compression in the paediatric population-a systematic review, meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Malignant spinal cord compression (MSCC) has been noted in 3-5% of children with primary tumours. MSCC can be associated with permanent neurological deficits and prompt treatment is necessary. Our aim was to perform a systematic review on MSCC in children < 18 years to help formulate national guidelines. METHODS: A systematic review of the English language was undertaken using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Search criteria included 'MSCC in children, paediatric and metastases' for papers published between January1999 and December 2022. Isolated case reports/case series with < 10 patients were excluded. RESULTS: From a total of 17 articles identified, a final 7 were analysed (Level III/IV). Neuroblastoma constituted the most common cause for MSCC in children (62.7%) followed by sarcoma (14.2%). Soft tissue sarcomas were the most frequent cause of MSCC in children > 5 years old, while for neuroblastomas, the mean age of presentation was 20 months. The median age at time of diagnosis for the entire cohort of patients was 50.9 months (14.8-139). The median follow-up duration was 50.7 months (0.5-204). Motor deficits were the presenting symptom in 95.6% of children followed by pain in 65.4% and sphincter disturbance in 24%. There was a delay of about 26.05 days (7-600) between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis. A multimodality approach to treatment was utilised depending on the primary tumour. The prognosis for neurological recovery was found to be inversely proportional to the degree of neurological deficits and duration of symptoms in four studies. CONCLUSION: Neuroblastoma is the most common cause for MSCC in children (62.7%) followed by sarcoma (14.2%), whilst soft tissue sarcomas constituted the most frequent cause of MSCC in children > 5 years old. The majority of patients presented with motor deficit, followed by pain. In children with neuroblastoma /lymphoma, chemotherapy was the primary treatment. Early surgery should be a consideration with rapid deterioration of neurology despite chemotherapy. A multimodality approach including chemo-radiotherapy and surgery should be the treatment of choice in metastatic sarcomas. It is worth noting that multi-level laminectomy/decompression and asymmetrical radiation to the spine can lead to spinal column deformity in the future.

Automating Structured Results Communication to Expedite Imaging-Directed Care in Spine Oncology.

Cancers frequently metastasize to the spine, where they can cause severe morbidity, including pain, vertebral collapse, and paralysis. Accurate assessment and timely communication of actionable imaging findings are critical. We developed a scoring mechanism to capture the key imaging features of examinations performed to detect and characterize spinal metastases in patients with cancer. An automated system was developed to relay those findings to the institution's spine oncology team to expedite treatment. This report describes the scoring scheme, the automated results communication platform, and initial clinical experience with the system. The scoring system and communication platform enable prompt, imaging-directed care of patients with spinal metastases.

Spinal Metastases from Colorectal Cancer at Mass General Brigham: A Twenty-Year Case Series With Literature Review.

OBJECTIVE: We present an institutional case series of patients treated for colorectal carcinoma (CRC) spinal metastases to investigate the outcomes between no treatment, radiation, surgery, and surgery/radiation. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of patients with CRC spinal metastases presenting to affiliated institutions between 2001 and 2021 wereidentified. Information related to patient demographics, treatment modality, treatment outcomes, symptom improvement, and survival was collected by chart review. Overall survival (OS) was compared between treatments by log-rank significance testing. A literature review was conducted to identify other cases series of CRC patients with spinal metastases. RESULTS: Eighty-nine patients (mean age 58.5) with CRC spinal metastases across a mean of 3.3 levels met inclusion criteria: 14 (15.7%) received no treatment, 11 (12.4%) received surgery alone, 37 (41.6%) received radiation alone, and 27 (30.3%) received both radiation and surgery. Patients treated with combination therapy had the longest median OS of 24.7 months (range 0.6-85.9), which did not significantly differ from the median OS of 8.9 months (range 0.2-42.6) observed in patients who received no treatment (P = 0.075). Combination therapy provided objectively longer survival time in comparison to other treatment modalities but failed to reach statistical significance. The majority of patients that received treatment (n = 51/75, 68.0%) experienced some degree of symptomatic or functional improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Therapeutic intervention has the potential to improve the quality of life in patients with CRC spinal metastases. We demonstrate that surgery and radiation are useful options for these patients, despite their lack of objective improvement in OS.

Vertebral Primary Bone Lesions: Review of Management Options.

The assessment and treatment of vertebral primary bone lesions continue to pose a unique yet significant challenge. Indeed, there exists little in the literature in the way of compiling and overviewing the various types of vertebral lesions, which can often have complicated intervention strategies. Given the severe consequences of mismanaged vertebral bone tumors-including the extreme loss of motor function-it is clear that such an overview of spinal lesion care is needed. Thus, in the following paper, we aim to address the assessment of various vertebral primary bone lesions, outlining the relevant nonsurgical and surgical interventional methods. We describe examples of primary benign and malignant tumors, comparing and contrasting their differences. We also highlight emerging treatments and approaches for these tumors, like cryoablation and stereotactic body radiation therapy. Ultimately, we aim to emphasize the need for further guidelines in regard to correlating lesion type with proper therapy, underscoring the innate diversity of vertebral primary bone lesions in the literature.

Volumetric Intensity-Modulated Arc Stereotactic Radiosurgery Boost in Oligometastatic Patients with Spine Metastases: a Dose-escalation Study.

AIMS: To report the final results of a dose-escalation study of volumetric intensity-modulated arc stereotactic radiosurgery (VMAT-SRS) boost after three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy in patients with spine metastases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Oligometastatic cancer patients bearing up to five synchronous metastases (visceral or bone, including vertebral ones) and candidates for surgery or radiosurgery were considered for inclusion. 25 Gy was delivered in 10 daily fractions (2 weeks) to the metastatic lesion, affected vertebrae and adjacent ones (one cranial and one caudal vertebra). Sequentially, the dose to spinal metastases was progressively increased (8 Gy, 10 Gy, 12 Gy) in the patient cohorts. Dose-limiting toxicities were defined as any treatment-related non-hematologic acute adverse effects rated as grade ≥3 or any acute haematological toxicity rated as ≥ 4 by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group scale. RESULTS: Fifty-two lesions accounting for 40 consecutive patients (male/female: 29/11; median age: 71 years; range 40-85) were treated from April 2011 to September 2020. Most patients had a primary prostate (65.0%) or breast cancer (22.5%). Thirty-two patients received 8 Gy VMAT-SRS boost (total BED α/ß10: 45.6 Gy), 14 patients received 10 Gy (total BED α/ß10: 51.2 Gy) and six patients received 12 Gy (total BED α/ß10: 57.6 Gy). The median follow-up time was over 70 months (range 2-240 months). No acute toxicities > grade 2 and no late toxicities > grade 1 were recorded. The overall response rate based on computed tomography/positron emission tomography-computed tomography/magnetic resonance was 78.8%. The 24-month actuarial local control, distant metastases-free survival and overall survival rates were 88.5%, 27.1% and 90.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: A 12 Gy spine metastasis SRS boost following 25 Gy to the affected and adjacent vertebrae was feasible with an excellent local control rate and toxicity profile.

Current and Emerging Approaches for Spine Tumor Treatment.

Spine tumors represent a significant social and medical problem, affecting the quality of life of thousands of patients and imposing a burden on healthcare systems worldwide. Encompassing a wide range of diseases, spine tumors require prompt multidisciplinary treatment strategies, being mainly approached through chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgical interventions, either alone or in various combinations. However, these conventional tactics exhibit a series of drawbacks (e.g., multidrug resistance, tumor recurrence, systemic adverse effects, invasiveness, formation of large bone defects) which limit their application and efficacy. Therefore, recent research focused on finding better treatment alternatives by utilizing modern technologies to overcome the challenges associated with conventional treatments. In this context, the present paper aims to describe the types of spine tumors and the most common current treatment alternatives, further detailing the recent developments in anticancer nanoformulations, personalized implants, and enhanced surgical techniques.

A novel nomogram to stratify quality of life among advanced cancer patients with spinal metastatic disease after examining demographics, dietary habits, therapeutic interventions, and mental health status.

BACKGROUND: It would be very helpful to stratify patients and direct patient selection if risk factors for quality of life were identified in a particular population. Nonetheless, it is still challenging to forecast the health-related quality of life among individuals with spinal metastases. The goal of this study was to stratify patient's populations for whom the assessment of quality of life should be encouraged by developing and validating a nomogram to predict the quality of life among advanced cancer patients with spine metastases. METHODS: This study prospectively analyzed 208 advanced cancer patients with spine metastases, and collected their general characteristics, food preferences, addictions, comorbidities, therapeutic strategies, and mental health status. The functional assessment of cancer therapy-general (FACT-G) and hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) were used to assess quality of life and mental health, respectively. The complete cohort of patients was randomly divided into two groups: a training set and a validation set. Patients from the training set were conducted to train and develop a nomogram, while patients in the validation set were performed to internally validate the nomogram. The nomogram contained significant variables discovered using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) approach in conjunction with 10-fold cross-validation. The nomogram's predictive ability was assessed utilizing discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness. Internal validation was also completed using the bootstrap method after applying 500 iterations of procedures. A web calculator was also developed to promote clinical practice. RESULTS: Advance cancer patients with spinal metastases had an extremely low quality of life, as indicated by the average FACT-G score of just 60.32 ± 20.41. According to the LASSO and 10-fold cross-validation, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score, having an uncompleted life goal, preference for eating vegetables, chemotherapy, anxiety status, and depression status were selected as nomogram predictors. In the training set, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was 0.90 (95% CI: 0.84-0.96), while in the validation set, it was 0.85 (95% CI: 0.78-0.93). They were 0.50 (95% CI: 0.41-0.58) and 0.44 (95% CI: 0.33-0.56), respectively, for the discrimination slopes. The nomogram had favorable capacity to calibrate and was clinically useful, according to the calibration curve and decision curve analysis. When compared to patients in the low-risk group, patients in the high-risk group were above four times more likely to experience a poor quality of life (82.18% vs. 21.50%, P < 0.001). In comparison to patients in the low-risk group, patients in the high-risk group also exhibited significant higher levels of anxiety and depression. The webpage for the web calculator was https://starshiny.shinyapps.io/DynNomapp-lys/ . CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests a nomogram that can be applied as a practical clinical tool to forecast and categorize the quality of life among patients with spine metastases. Additionally, patients with poor quality of life experience more severe anxiety and depression. Effective interventions should be carried out as soon as possible, especially for patients in the high-risk group, to improve their quality of life and mental health condition.

A 68-Year-Old Woman with a Remote History of Breast Cancer Presenting with Low Back Pain to a Chiropractic Clinic in Hong Kong with Imaging Findings Consistent with a Vertebral Hemangioma and Vertebral Metastatic Lesions.

BACKGROUND Patients commonly visit chiropractic clinics for treatment for low back pain, which is often due to injury or degenerative spinal conditions. Rarely, serious underlying pathology may be identified. This report describes a 68-year-old woman with a remote history of breast cancer presenting with low back pain to a chiropractic clinic in Hong Kong with imaging findings consistent with vertebral hemangioma and vertebral metastatic lesions. CASE REPORT A 68-year-old woman with a history of breast cancer status after chemotherapy and mastectomy 20 years prior presented to a chiropractor with an acute exacerbation of chronic low back pain with lower extremity paresthesia. She previously visited her general practitioner and underwent radiography, which supported diagnoses of degenerative lumbar spondylosis and hemangioma of the fifth lumbar vertebra. Given the patient's worsening status and previous cancer, the chiropractor ordered lumbar magnetic resonance imaging at the initial visit, consistent with multilevel spinal metastasis. The chiropractor referred the patient to an oncologist who performed positron emission tomography/computed tomography, which suggested breast cancer recurrence and metastasis. The greatest hypermetabolic activity was evident within the level of the suspected vertebral hemangioma, suggesting this finding which initially appeared innocuous on plain radiography contained underlying metastasis. CONCLUSIONS This case illustrates that when patients fail to respond to treatment for low back pain, clinical referral should be undertaken for investigations to identify possible serious underlying pathology.

Spinal Tumors: Diagnosis and Treatment.

Tumors that present in or around the spine can be challenging to diagnose and treat. A proper workup involves a complete history and physical examination, appropriate staging studies, appropriate imaging of the entire spine, and a tissue biopsy. The biopsy defines the lesion and guides treatment, but in some rare instances, rapid neurological decline may lead to urgent or emergent surgery before it can be analyzed. "Enneking-appropriate" margins should remain the goal for primary tumors while adequate debulking/separation/stabilization are often the goals in metastatic disease. Primary tumors of the spine are rare and often complex tumors to operate on-achieving Enneking-appropriate margins provides the greatest chance of survival while decreasing the chance of local recurrence. Metastatic tumors of the spine are increasingly more common, and timing of surgery must be considered within the greater framework of the patient and the patient's disease, deficits, stability, and other treatments available. The specific tumor type will dictate what other multidisciplinary approaches are available, allowing for chemotherapy and radiation as needed.

Multidisciplinary management of spinal metastases: what the radiologist needs to know.

The modern management of spinal metastases requires a multidisciplinary approach that includes radiation oncologists, surgeons, medical oncologists, and diagnostic and interventional radiologists. The diagnostic radiologist can play an important role in the multidisciplinary team and help guide assessment of disease and selection of appropriate therapy. The assessment of spine metastases is best performed on MRI, but imaging from other modalities is often needed. We provide a review of the clinical and imaging features that are needed by the multidisciplinary team caring for patients with spine metastases and stress the importance of the spine radiologist taking responsibility for synthesizing imaging features across multiple modalities to provide a report that advances patient care.