[Diagnostics and therapy of spinal metastases]

Out of all skeletal metastases 30% are located in the spine as are 10% of primary bone tumors, whereby 52% of metastases occur in the lumbar region, 36% in the thoracic spine and 12% in the cervical spine. Patients suffer from local pain caused by irritation of the periosteum due to rapid growth of the tumor or subsequent pathologic fractures which may lead to compression and neurological impairment with paresthesia, paresis and paraplegia. If the diagnosis cannot be confirmed exactly by radiological imaging and laboratory tests, a biopsy should be performed. A precise diagnosis of the tumor entity as well as an estimation of the prognosis provides an important basis for further decision-making. The aim of therapy is pain relief and stabilization by operative and non-operative measures. Therapy is palliative with the aim of pain relief and preservation of mobility. In cases of solitary metastasis a curative operative treatment should be performed.