Characteristics of Patients and Treatment Recommendations from a Multidisciplinary Spinal Tumor Program

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Neurosurgery
• Radiation Oncology

Background:

• Spinal tumors present increasing complexity, yet the impact of multidisciplinary input remains unclear.
• Palliative care integration in spinal tumor management is vital but not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize patient demographics and treatment recommendations from a multidisciplinary spinal tumor board.
• To evaluate the role of palliative care within spinal tumor board recommendations.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 622 spinal tumor cases discussed at a weekly tumor board (April 2017-February 2019).
• Abstraction of patient data and treatment plans from medical records and meeting minutes.

Main Results:

• Most patients (91.78%) had metastatic spinal tumors (breast, lung, prostate, renal).
• Conventional radiotherapy (33.8%) and surgery (26.2%) were common recommendations; palliative care was primary for 4.5%.
• Biopsies occasionally altered management due to unexpected findings.

Conclusions:

• Multidisciplinary input is integral for optimal spinal tumor patient care.
• The high mortality rate underscores the need to prioritize quality of life and patient-specific prognoses.