[Tumors of the spine: a clinical study of 80 cases]

From February 1972 to December 1988, 80 cases of spinal tumor were treated in this hospital. 37 of these cases were primary tumor and 43 cases were secondary tumor. Most of the primary tumors were angioma and massive osteolysis, most of the metastatic tumors were from gastrointestinal and pulmonary carcinoma. The time of onset in both groups within half a year were 54.2% and 65.1% respectively. The dominant symptoms were pain, mass and paralysis. Except 4 cases which involved more than one vertebrae, all others involved only one vertebra. Primary tumours were mostly found in the sacrum (41.1%) and metastatic tumors were mostly found in the thoracic spine (65.2%). Sixty-three patients were treated by different combinations of operative methods. Eleven primary malignant tumor and 16 metastatic case had been followed-up for 3 months to 3 years, 25 cases died. The rate of misdiagnosis was 21.25%, which mainly occurred in the secondary group. The causes of misdiagnosis were analysed.