A Nationwide Study of Stereotactic Radiosurgery in a Newly Diagnosed Spine Metastasis Population.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), a technique that is emerging as a new treatment option, has been reported to be an effective, noninvasive treatment for spine metastasis patients. OBJECTIVE: This nationwide study aimed to understand the current state of SRS for spine metastasis. METHODS: Patients in this study were first diagnosed with a metastatic spine tumor between 1 July and 31 December 2011. One group (the SRS group) received SRS at least once within 1 year of diagnosis and the other (the non-SRS group) did not receive SRS. We analyzed the characteristics, medication, and survival of each group. RESULTS: In 628 new patients, there were no significant differences between groups regarding gender, age, type of health insurance, and comorbidities. There were significant differences with regard to the medical costs (USD 23,276 vs. 18,458; p = 0.001) and the duration of hospital stay (101.3 vs. 86.5 days; p = 0.023). Median survival was significantly longer in the SRS group (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant pretreatment baseline demographic difference between the SRS and the non-SRS group. There was a tendency for greater use of medication in the SRS group. Patients with a longer overall survival tended to be those who underwent SRS treatment.