Patients with spinal deformity over the age of 75: a retrospective analysis of operative versus non-operative management.

PURPOSE: The goal of the present study was to compare the outcomes of operative and non-operative patients with adult spinal deformity (ASD) over 75 years of age. METHODS: A retrospective review of a multicenter prospective adult spinal deformity database was conducted examining patients with ASD over the age of 75 years. Demographics, comorbidities, operation-related variables, complications, radiographs, and Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measures collected included Oswestry Disability Index, Short Form-36, and Scoliosis Research Society-22 preoperatively, and at 1 and 2 years later. Minimum clinically important difference (MCID) was calculated and also compared. RESULTS: 27 patients (12 operative, 15 non-operative) were studied. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between operative and non-operative patients for age, body mass-index, and comorbidities, but operative patients had worse baseline HRQOL than non-operative patients. Operative patients had a significant improvement in radiographic parameters in 2-year HRQOL, whereas non-operative patients did not (p > 0.05). Operative patients were significantly more likely to reach MCID (range 41.7-81.8 vs. 0-33.3 %, p < 0.05). In the surgical group, 9 (75 %) patients had at least 1 complication (24 total complications). CONCLUSIONS: In the largest series to date comparing operative and non-operative management of adult spinal deformity in elderly patients greater than 75 years of age, reconstructive surgery provides significant improvements in pain and disability over a 2-year period. Furthermore, operative patients were more likely to reach MCID than non-operative patients. When counseling elderly patients with ASD, such data may be helpful in the decision-making process regarding treatment.

Global public health impact of recovered supplies from operating rooms: a critical analysis with national implications.

BACKGROUND: In modern operating rooms, clean and unused medical supplies are routinely discarded and can be effectively recovered and redistributed abroad to alleviate the environmental burden of donor hospitals and to generate substantial health benefits at resource-poor recipient institutions. METHODS: We established a recovery and donation program to collect clean and unused supplies for healthcare institutions in developing nations. We analyzed items donated over a 3-year period (September 2010-November 2013) by quantity and weight, and estimated the projected value of the program under potential nationwide participation. To capture the health benefits attributable to the donated supplies at recipient institutions, we partnered with two tertiary-care centers in Guayaquil, Ecuador and conducted a pilot study on the utility of the donated supplies at the recipient institutions (October 2013). We determined the disability-adjusted life years (DALY) averted for all patients undergoing procedures involving donated items and estimated the annual attributable DALY as well as the cost per DALY averted both by supply and by procedure. RESULTS: Approximately, 2 million lbs (907,185 kg) per year of medical supplies are recoverable from large non-rural US academic medical centers. Of these supplies, 19 common categories represent a potential for donation worth US $15 million per year, at a cost-utility of US $2.14 per DALY averted. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital operating rooms continue to represent a large source of recoverable surgical supplies that have demonstrable health benefits in the recipient communities. Cost-effective recovery and need-based donation programs can significantly alleviate the global burden of surgical diseases.

Palliative strategies for the management of primary and metastatic spinal tumors.

BACKGROUND: Technological advances during the last few decades have improved the success rate of surgery for the treatment of malignant spinal tumors. Nonetheless, many patients present with widespread tumor burden and minimal life expectancy, which excludes them from being surgical candidates. For these patients, palliative management is recommended. METHODS: The authors reviewed prospective and retrospective clinical studies as well as case series regarding palliative treatments for primary and metastatic spinal tumors. RESULTS: Analgesics, ranging from nonopioids to strong opioids, may be used depending on the degree of pain. Steroids may also improve pain relief, although they are associated with a number of adverse events. Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are conservative treatments with high rates of pain relief and vertebral body stabilization. Radiotherapy is the gold standard for palliative management, with approximately 60% of patients experiencing a decrease in tumor-related spinal pain and up to 35% experiencing complete relief. Stereotactic radiosurgery delivers high doses of radiation to patients to provide pain relief while also sparing delicate anatomical structures. CONCLUSION: Palliative management of spinal tumors is diverse. Analgesics may be used in conjunction with radiotherapy and/or kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty to offer pain relief.

Alveolar soft-part sarcoma in the sacrum: a case report and review of the literature.

Alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) is a rare disease of the soft tissue. Although the disease is rare, it is refractory to chemotherapy and radiation. En bloc surgical resection offers the best chance of cure. In this article we report the case of a 28-year-old woman who presented with buttock and leg pain, bowel, bladder and gait impairment and a large mass in the sacrum. Following surgical excision, the lesion was proven to be ASPS. On pathology, the mass was TFE3 (transcription factor E3) positive, indicating the presence of the ASPL-TFE3 (novel gene-transcription factor) translocation. Following surgery, the patient had improvement in her pain and ambulation; however, she refused adjuvant therapy to pursue hospice care and succumbed to her disease 2 years after surgery. On a review of the literature, it was found that ASPS of the bone constitutes a rare and formidable subset of this disease. Further, metastases related to ASPS are common in the lungs, liver, brain, and lymph nodes. The degree of dissemination is a predictor of outcome, with 5-year survival of 81-88% in patients with local disease and only 20-46% in patients with metastatic disease at the time of presentation. Brain metastases at the time of presentation portend the worst prognosis.

Characteristics, Management, and Outcomes of Patients With Osteosarcoma: An Analysis of Outcomes From the National Cancer Database.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies about osteosarcoma patient characteristics, management, and outcomes have limited patient numbers, combine varied tumor types, and/or are older studies. METHODS: Patients with osteosarcoma from the 2004 to 2015 National Cancer Database data sets were separated into axial, appendicular, and other. Demographic and treatment data as well as 1-, 5-, and 10-year survival were determined for each group. A multivariate Cox analysis of patient variables with the likelihood of death was performed, and the Kaplan Meier survival curves were generated. RESULTS: Four thousand four hundred thirty patients with osteosarcoma (3,435 appendicular, 810 axial, and 185 other) showed survival at 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year and was highest among the appendicular cohort (91.17%, 64.43%, and 58.58%, respectively). No change in survival was seen over the periods studied. The likelihood of death was greater with increasing age category, distant metastases, and treatment with radiation alone but less with appendicular primary site, treatment with surgery alone, or surgery plus chemotherapy. DISCUSSION: Despite advances in tumor management, surgical excision remains the best predictor of survival for osteosarcomas. No difference was observed in patient survival from 2004 to 2015 and, as would be expected, distant metastases were a poor prognostic sign, as was increasing age, male sex, and axial location.

Neuromodulation for Management of Chronic Pelvic Pain: A Comprehensive Review.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a symptom that derives from a complex group of heterogeneous pathologies of the pelvic organs. The aim of this study was to review the available evidence on efficacy of neuromodulatory modalities including sacral neuromodulation, dorsal root ganglion stimulation, dorsal column neuromodulation, and pudendal nerve stimulation. METHODS: This narrative review focuses on updated information on neuromodulation for management of chronic pelvic pain. In 2022, we searched English-language studies on neuromodulation, pelvic pain, and chronic pain in a comprehensive search. We searched the following databases: PubMed, Medline, SciHub, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Google Scholar. We used the following combinations of keywords: neuromodulation, pelvic pain, chronic pain, chronic pelvic pain, pelvic pain treatment. We tried to include as many recent manuscripts as possible (within the last 3 years) but also included papers older than 3 years if they were particularly relevant to our topic. We also attempted to search for, use, and cite primary manuscripts whenever possible. RESULTS: CPP is a challenging entity to treat because of diagnostic inconsistencies and limited evidence for therapeutic modalities. Our review found evidence suggestive of benefit for all modalities reviewed but the data was of overall low quality with numerous limitations. The literature highlights a lack of randomized controlled trials for neuromodulatory therapies but suggests a growing role for such techniques in treating refractory chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). CONCLUSIONS: This review explores the available evidence on efficacy of neuromodulatory modalities for CPPS and contextualizes the results with information about the type of neuromodulation, lead location and waveform, pain outcomes and assessment timepoints, and reported adverse effects.

Coagulopathies Are a Risk Factor for Adverse Events Following Total Hip and Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Current literature suggests a correlation between preoperative coagulopathies and postsurgical adverse events (AEs). However, this correlation has not been specifically assessed in the total hip arthroplasty (THA) and the total knee arthroplasty (TKA) populations. Patients who underwent primary THA and TKA with coagulopathy data were identified from the 2011-2015 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Coagulopathies studied were low platelets, high partial thromboplastin time (PTT), high international normalized ratio (INR), and other hematological conditions. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to explore the relationship between coagulopathies and 30-day AEs following surgery in these populations. In total, 39,605 THA patients and 67,685 TKA patients were identified. Of these, approximately 16% had a coagulopathy. These patients tended to be older and have a dependent functional status, American Society of Anesthesiologists score of 3 or greater, and diabetes mellitus. In the THA cohort, low platelets, high PTT, high INR, and other hematological conditions were associated with increased odds of any AE, major AEs, and minor AEs. High INR and other hematological conditions were associated with an increased odds of hospital readmission. In the TKA group, low platelets, high INR, and other hematological conditions were associated with increased odds of any AE, major AEs, and minor AEs. High PTT was associated with increased odds of major AEs and readmissions. Presence of a coagulopathy was associated with multiple AEs following both THA and TKA. This shows that special attention should be paid patients with any form of coagulopathy to minimize the potential risk of AEs. [Orthopedics. 2020;43(4):233-238.].

Rapid Production of Physiologic Dendritic Cells (phDC) for Immunotherapy.

Generation of large numbers of dendritic cells (DC) for research or immunotherapeutic purposes typically involves in vitro conversion of murine bone marrow precursors or human blood monocytes to DC via cultivation with supraphysiologic concentrations of cytokines such as GM-CSF and IL-4 for up to 7 days. Alternatively, our group has recently established a new approach, based on the underlying mechanism of action of a widely used cancer immunotherapy termed Extracorporeal Photochemotherapy (ECP). Our method of rapid and cytokine-free production of therapeutically relevant DC populations, leveraging the innate physiologic programs likely responsible for DC differentiation from blood monocytes in vivo, potentially offers a novel, inexpensive, and easily accessible source of DC for clinical and research uses. This approach involves ex vivo physiologic reprogramming of blood monocytes to immunologically tunable dendritic antigen-presenting cells, which we term "phDC," for physiological DC. To facilitate access and utilization of these new DC populations by the research community, in this chapter, we describe the use of a scaled-down version of the clinical ECP leukocyte-treatment device termed the Transimmunization (TI) chamber or plate, suitable for processing both mouse and human samples. We highlight the methodological sequences necessary to isolate mouse or human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) from whole blood, and to expose those PBMC to the TI chamber for facilitating monocyte activation and conversion to physiological DC (phDC) through interaction with blood proteins and activated platelets under controlled flow conditions. We then provide sample protocols for potential applications of the generated DC, including their use as vaccinating antigen-presenting cells (APC) in murine in vivo antitumor models, and in human ex vivo T-cell stimulation and antigen cross-presentation assays which mimic clinical vaccination. We additionally highlight the technical aspects of loading mouse or human phDC with tumor-associated antigens (TAA) in the form of peptides or apoptotic tumor cells. We provide a simple and clinically relevant means to reprogram blood monocytes into functional APC, potentially replacing the comparatively expensive and clinically disappointing cytokine-derived DC which have previously dominated the dendritic cell landscape.

Dialysis Dependence Is Associated With Significantly Increased Odds of Perioperative Adverse Events After Geriatric Hip Fracture Surgery Even After Controlling for Demographic Factors and Comorbidities.

Previous studies evaluating the risk of perioperative adverse events after hip fracture surgery for dialysis-dependent patients are either institutional cohort studies or limited by patient numbers. The current study uses the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database's large national patient population and 30-day follow-up window to address these weaknesses. METHODS: National Surgical Quality Improvement Program databases (2006 to 2016) were queried for patients aged 60 years or older who underwent hip fracture surgery. Differences in 30-day outcomes based on preoperative dialysis dependence were compared using risk-adjusted logistic regression and coarsened exact matching for adverse events, need for revision surgery, readmission, and mortality. The proportion of adverse events that occurred before versus after discharge was also assessed. RESULTS: A total of 288 dialysis-dependent and 16,392 non-dialysis-dependent patients met the inclusion criteria. Matched populations controlling for demographic factors (ie, age, sex, body mass index, and functional status) and overall health (American Society of Anesthesiologists class) found dialysis-dependent patients to be associated with significantly greater odds of any adverse event (odds ratio [OR] = 1.90), major adverse event (OR = 1.77), and unplanned readmission (OR = 2.48). Increased odds of minor adverse event (OR = 1.05), return to the operating room (OR = 1.66), and death (OR = 1.42) within 30 postoperative days were also found but were not statistically significant. DISCUSSION: Even after controlling for demographics and health status, geriatric dialysis patients undergoing surgery for hip fracture are at significantly greater odds of adverse outcomes. Because of increased risks for geriatric dialysis patients undergoing surgery for hip fracture, surgical caution, patient counseling, and heightened surveillance must be observed throughout the perioperative period for this fragile population. Furthermore, hospitals and physicians must take the increased risks associated with dialysis into account when considering bundled payment reimbursement strategies and resource allocation for hip fracture care.

Extracorporeal photochemotherapy induces bona fide immunogenic cell death.

Extracorporeal photochemotherapy (ECP) is employed for the management of cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL). ECP involves the extracorporeal exposure of white blood cells (WBCs) to a photosensitizer, 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP), in the context of ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation, followed by WBC reinfusion. Historically, the therapeutic activity of ECP has been attributed to selective cytotoxicity on circulating CTCL cells. However, only a fraction of WBCs is exposed to ECP, and 8-MOP is inactive in the absence of UVA light, implying that other mechanisms underlie the anticancer effects of ECP. Recently, ECP has been shown to enable the physiological differentiation of monocytes into dendritic cells (DCs) that efficiently cross-present tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) to CD8+ T lymphocytes to initiate cognate immunity. However, the source of TAAs and immunostimulatory signals for such DCs remains to be elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that 8-MOP plus UVA light reduces melanoma cell viability along with the emission of ICD-associated danger signals including calreticulin (CALR) exposure on the cell surface and secretion of ATP, high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and type I interferon (IFN). Consistently, melanoma cells succumbing to 8-MOP plus UVA irradiation are efficiently engulfed by monocytes, ultimately leading to cross-priming of CD8+ T cells against cancer. Moreover, malignant cells killed by 8-MOP plus UVA irradiation in vitro vaccinate syngeneic immunocompetent mice against living cancer cells of the same type, and such a protection is lost when cancer cells are depleted of calreticulin or HMGB1, as well as in the presence of an ATP-degrading enzyme or antibodies blocking type I IFN receptors. ECP induces bona fide ICD, hence simultaneously providing monocytes with abundant amounts of TAAs and immunostimulatory signals that are sufficient to initiate cognate anticancer immunity.

Novel Protocol for Generating Physiologic Immunogenic Dendritic Cells.

Extracorporeal photochemotherapy (ECP) is a widely used cancer immunotherapy for cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL), operative in over 350 university centers worldwide. While ECP's clinical efficacy and exemplary safety profile have driven its widespread use, elucidation of the underlying mechanisms has remained a challenge, partly owing to lack of a laboratory ECP model. To overcome this obstacle and create a simple, user-friendly platform for ECP research, we developed a scaled-down version of the clinical ECP leukocyte-processing device, suitable for work with both mouse models, and small human blood samples. This device is termed the Transimmunization (TI) chamber, or plate. In a series of landmark experiments, the miniaturized device was used to produce a cellular vaccine that regularly initiated therapeutic anti-cancer immunity in several syngeneic mouse tumor models. By removing individual factors from the experimental system and ascertaining their contribution to the in vivo anti-tumor response, we then elucidated key mechanistic drivers of ECP immunizing potential. Collectively, our results revealed that anti-tumor effects of ECP are initiated by dendritic cells (DC), physiologically generated through blood monocyte interaction with platelets in the TI plate, and loaded with antigens from tumor cells whose apoptotic cell death is finely titrated by exposure to the photoactivatable DNA cross-linking agent 8-methoxypsoralen and UVA light (8-MOPA). When returned to the mouse, this cellular vaccine leads to specific and transferable anti-tumor T cell immunity. We verified that the TI chamber is also suitable for human blood processing, producing human DCs fully comparable in activation state and profile to those derived from the clinical ECP chamber. The protocols presented here are intended for ECP studies in mouse and man, controlled generation of apoptotic tumor cells with 8-MOPA, and rapid production of physiologic human and mouse monocyte-derived DCs for a variety of applications.

A Systematic Review of Clinical Outcomes and Prognostic Factors for Patients Undergoing Surgery for Spinal Metastases Secondary to Breast Cancer.

STUDY DESIGN: Review of the literature. OBJECTIVE: Surgery and cement augmentation procedures are effective palliative treatment of symptomatic spinal metastases. Our objective is to systematically review the literature to describe the survival, prognostic factors, and clinical outcomes of surgery and cement augmentation procedures for breast cancer metastases to the spine. METHODS: We performed a literature review using PubMed to identify articles that reported outcomes and/or prognostic factors of the breast cancer patient population with spinal metastases treated with any surgical technique since 1990. RESULTS: The median postoperative survival for metastatic breast cancer was 21.7 months (8.2 to 36 months), the mean rate of any pain improvement was 92.9% (76 to 100%), the mean rate of neurologic improvement was 63.8% (53 to 100%), the mean rate of neurologic decline was 4.1% (0 to 8%), and the local tumor control rate was 92.6% (89 to 100%). Kyphoplasty studies reported a high rate of pain control in selected patients. Negative prognostic variables included hormonal (estrogen and progesterone) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) receptor refractory tumor status, high degree of axillary lymph node involvement, and short disease-free interval (DFI). All other clinical or prognostic parameters were of low or insufficient strength. CONCLUSION: With respect to clinical outcomes, surgery consistently yielded neurologic improvements in patients presenting with a deficit with a minimal risk of worsening; however, negative prognostic factors associated with shorter survival following surgery include estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor negativity, HER2 negativity, and a short DFI.

Maintenance of bowel, bladder, and motor functions after sacrectomy.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Repeated cohort studies have consistently demonstrated a survival advantage after en bloc resection for locally aggressive primary tumors in the sacrum. A sacrectomy is often required to remove the tumor en bloc, which may necessitate the sacrifice of sacral nerves. This can potentially result in functional complications, including the impairment of gait, bowel function, or bladder function. PURPOSE: To assess the bladder, bowel, and motor functions of patients after resection of a primary sacral tumor. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study at a single academic institution. PATIENT SAMPLE: Consecutive patients who underwent an en bloc sacral tumor resection at a single institution between December 2002 and June 2012 were included. The study population comprised 73 patients. OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients were classified as having had a low, middle, high, or total sacrectomy based on the level of sacral nerves sacrificed, if applicable. METHODS: Patient data were collected from clinic notes and hospital records that included operative notes, lab studies, and rehabilitation notes. RESULTS: Across all patients, there was no change in bowel function after sacrectomy, whereas bladder and motor functions returned to preoperative (pre-op) levels at 3 and 6 months, respectively. Higher level sacrectomies were associated with worse bowel (p<.001), bladder (p<.001), and motor (p=.027) functions 12 months postoperatively (post-op). At 1 year, none of the six patients with a high or total sacrectomy had intact bladder function and 14.3% (N=7) had intact bowel function. Of patients with a middle sacrectomy, 62.5% (N=8) had intact bladder function and 71.4% (N=7) had intact bowel function at 1 year. Of patients with a low sacrectomy, 91.7% (N=12) had intact bladder function and 91.7% (N=12) had intact bowel function. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative bladder, bowel, and motor functions, level of sacral tumor involvement, and corresponding level of sacrectomy were the greatest predictors of long-term bladder, bowel, and motor functions. There were no statistically significant changes in bladder, bowel, or motor functions from pre-op to 6 months post-op, and therefore, pre-op functional status was predictive of long-term function.

A Comprehensive Review of Complication Rates After Surgery for Adult Deformity: A Reference for Informed Consent.

OBJECTIVE: An up-to-date review of recent literatures and a comprehensive reference for informed consent specific to ASD complications is lacking. The goal of the present study was to determine current complication rates after ASD surgery, in order to provide a reference for informed consent as well as to determine differences between three-column and non-three-column osteotomy procedures to aid in shared decision making. METHODS: A review of the literature was conducted using the PubMed database. Randomized controlled trials, nonrandomized trials, cohort studies, case-control studies, and case series providing postoperative complications published in 2000 or later were included. Complication rates were recorded and calculated for perioperative (both major and minor) and long-term complication rates. Postoperative outcomes were all stratified by surgical procedure (ie, three-column osteotomy and non-three-column osteotomy). RESULTS: Ninety-three articles were ultimately eligible for analysis. The data of 11,692 patients were extracted; there were 3,646 complications, mean age at surgery was 53.3 years (range: 25-77 years), mean follow-up was 3.49 years (range: 6 weeks-9.7 years), estimated blood loss was 2,161 mL (range: 717-7,034 mL), and the overall mean complication rate was 55%. Specifically, major perioperative complications occurred at a mean rate of 18.5%, minor perioperative complications occurred at a mean rate of 15.7%, and long-term complications occurred at a mean rate of 20.5%. Furthermore, three-column osteotomy resulted in a higher overall complication rate and estimated blood loss than non-three-column osteotomy. CONCLUSIONS: A review of recent literatures providing complication rates for ASD surgery was performed, providing the most up-to-date incidence of early and late complications. Providers may use such data in helping to counsel patients of the literature-supported complication rates of such procedures despite the planned benefits, thus obtaining a more thorough informed consent.

Diagnosis and surgical management of breast cancer metastatic to the spine.

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy and the second leading cause of death in Western women. Breast cancer most commonly metastasizes to the bone and has a particular affinity with the spine, accounting for 2/3 of osseous metastases discovered. With significant improvements in cancer therapies, the number of patients at risk for symptomatic spinal metastases is likely to increase. Patients may suffer from intractable pain and neurological dysfunction, negatively influencing their quality of life. Timely diagnosis of patients is crucial and has been aided by several breakthrough advances in imaging techniques which aid in detection, staging, and follow-up of bone metastases. Breast metastases are usually responsive to hormonal therapy and pharmacologic interventions, but skeletal metastases often require surgical intervention. The treatments are palliative but goals include the preserving or restoring neurologic function, ensuring spinal stability, and relieving pain. Advances in surgical techniques and instrumentation have allowed more effective decompression and stabilization of the spine, and with the support of recent evidence the trend has shifted towards using more advanced surgical options in appropriately selected patients. In this review, the clinical presentation, diagnosis, patient selection, and surgical management of breast cancer metastatic to the spine are discussed.

Prolonged survival following aggressive treatment for metastatic breast cancer in the spine.

In 2007, members of our group reported a 21 month median survival for patients undergoing surgery for metastatic breast cancer in the spinal column. Cervical spine metastases were associated with decreased survival, Estrogen receptor positivity was associated with improved survival, and age and visceral metastases did not significantly impact survival. In the current study, we reassess these variables in the context of modern adjuvant therapies, and investigate the impact of the Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score (SINS). We report an observational cohort of 43 patients undergoing surgical resection for metastatic breast cancer of the spine treated at a single academic institution from June 2002 to August 2011. Patient medical records were reviewed in accordance with policies outlined by the University Institutional Review Board. Median overall survival following surgery for metastatic breast cancer in the spine was 26.8 months. 1 year overall survival was 66%. 5 year-overall survival was 4%. Age (p=0.12), preoperative functional status (p=0.17), location of metastasis (p=0.34), the presence of visceral metastases (p=0.68), and spinal instability (p=0.81) were not significant variables on survival analysis. Postoperative adjuvant therapy with a single modality (radiation or chemotherapy) was associated with a significantly lower median survival compared to dual therapy with chemotherapy and radiation (p=0.042). Patients that received radiation and chemotherapy after surgery were younger but demonstrated prolonged median survival versus single modality therapy. This data supports the concept that visceral metastases do not impact survival, however cervical spine lesions were not associated with decreased survival.