Spinal cord compression: a review of 70 pediatric patients

The authors report their experience with 70 pediatric patients with spinal cord compression (SCC) due to malignancies identified among 898 patients with solid tumors. An extradural tumor was the most frequent cause of SCC (71%); 54% of these were soft tissue sarcomas and neuroblastoma. Most intradural tumors (70%) were outside the spinal cord, 9/12 being metastatic medulloblastomas. The SCC localized mainly to the dorsal and lumbosacral regions (42% each). Pain was the most common symptom (94%). MRI proved diagnostic in all cases in which it was used, while myelography was diagnostic in 85% of 26 patients. CT scan demonstrated the lesion in 83% of the patients. Laminectomy was provided for patients with paraplegia of less than 96 h evolution; isolated recurrence of the main tumor; a primary spinal cord tumor; progression of neurologic symptoms after chemotherapy/radiotherapy; chemotherapy and radiotherapy-resistant tumor (when known); resection of a paraspinal tumor. Surgery was avoided when prognosis of primary disease was poor or risks exceeded possible benefits. Twelve/twenty-one (57%) patients with paraplegia were able to walk after laminectomy only, while 14% (2/14) improved after chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Survival rates were 38% for the former and 36% for the latter. Overall survival was related to the original malignancy. All patients (12) admitted without paraplegia and submitted to laminectomy were able to walk, and of these, 6 presented a primary spinal cord tumor. The remaining had paraspinal tumors that extended to the spinal canal. Almost 87% (20/23) of the patients without paraplegia who submitted to medical treatment were able to walk, while only one progressed to paraplegia. Patients with SCC may entertain radio- and chemotherapy when harboring tumors responding to such therapies and present no evidence of neurologic damage progression. The latter manifestation is a strong indication for laminectomy without delay.