Spinal cord compression, an overview for radiation oncologists

Spinal cord compression is a major cause of morbidity and or mortality in a cancer patient. This is one of the few oncologic emergencies, as delay in therapy leads to frank paralysis. Several key areas must be considered in the diagnosis and management of spinal cord compression. Because the outcome can be devastating, a diagnosis must be made early and treatment initiated promptly. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the important points to radiation oncologists regarding the management of spinal cord compression in an evidence-based approach.