{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,14]],"date-time":"2026-09-14T16:07:17Z","timestamp":1789402037487,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,10,5]],"date-time":"2022-10-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1664928000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Current Oncology"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background Context: The role of radiotherapy versus surgery in treating acute metastatic spinal cord compression (AMSCC) has changed over the years. Purpose: Our study evaluates neurological and functional outcomes following urgent surgery and radiotherapy (USFR) versus urgent radiotherapy alone in treating AMSCC. Study Design\/Setting: A retrospective cohort of 54 patients with AMSCC with variable neurological deficits. Overall, 32 patients were treated with USFR, and 22 received urgent radiotherapy alone. Outcome Measures: Neurological status regarding the Asia and Frankel scores, continence and ambulation, and Kranofsky\u2019s functional score and patient life span comprised the outcome measures. Methods: This was a retrospective EMR study. Results: USFR and radiotherapy cohorts were similar in age, gender, tumor origin, and the number of spinal metastases. The most common cause of AMSCC was carcinoma of the breast (24.1%), followed by carcinoma of the lung (16.7%) and multiple myeloma (13%). Neurological status at AMSCC presentation was similar between cohorts regarding Asia and Frankel scores, continence and ambulation, and Kranofsky\u2019s functional score. Following USFR, 59.3% of the patients had a motor strength improvement, 31.3% regained sphincter function, and 34.4% regained ambulation, while 90% of the patients treated by radiotherapy did not show any improvement. One patient under radiotherapy lost sphincter function. The treatment received did not affect the patient\u2019s survival. A subanalysis of patients with a short life expectancy, by Tomita and Tokuhashi scores, showed missed prediction in 29.4% of cases. Conclusion: The study supports the beneficial effect of UFSR compared to urgent radiotherapy alone in treating AMSCC in all subgroups. Early surgery improved function, motor strength, sphincter control, and ambulation without affecting life span. Prognostic scores failed to predict life span in almost one-third of the patients, requiring further investigation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/curroncol29100583","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,10,8]],"date-time":"2022-10-08T01:52:21Z","timestamp":1665193941000},"page":"7420-7429","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":15,"title":["Acute Metastatic Spinal Cord Compression: Urgent Surgery versus Radiotherapy and Treatment Result Prediction versus Actual Results"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"29","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2975-9152","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Oded","family":"Hershkovich","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Wolfson Medical Center, Ha-Lokhamim St. 62, Holon 5822012, Israel"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mojahed","family":"Sakhnini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sharif","family":"Gara","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Israel","family":"Caspi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7968-7906","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Raphael","family":"Lotan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Wolfson Medical Center, Ha-Lokhamim St. 62, Holon 5822012, Israel"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,10,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"211","DOI":"10.1016\/S0936-6555(02)00400-4","article-title":"A Population-based Study of Malignant Spinal Cord Compression in Ontario","volume":"15","author":"Loblaw","year":"2003","journal-title":"Clin. 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