Correlation Between the Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score (SINS) and Patient Reported Outcomes

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Radiology

Background:

• Symptomatic spinal metastases significantly impact patient quality of life.
• Accurate assessment of spinal instability is crucial for treatment planning and outcome prediction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between the Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score (SINS) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs).
• To determine the correlation of individual SINS components with PROs in patients with spinal metastases.

Main Methods:

• A prospective observational cohort study involving 307 patients with symptomatic spinal metastases.
• Data collection included demographics, treatment, and PROs (SF-36, SOSGOQ, EQ-5D) at baseline and 12 weeks post-treatment.
• The SINS was assessed via diagnostic imaging, and associations were analyzed using Spearman's rank test.

Main Results:

• The total SINS and mechanical pain were significantly associated with baseline PROs, including pain scores.
• Patients treated with surgery +/- radiotherapy showed different SINS distributions compared to radiotherapy alone.
• Mechanical pain demonstrated a moderate association with improved PROs at 12 weeks post-treatment.

Conclusions:

• Spinal instability, quantified by SINS, significantly correlates with PROs at baseline and post-treatment.
• Mechanical pain, as an individual SINS component, exhibited the strongest correlation with PROs, highlighting its clinical significance.