Resumen

FIGUEIRA, Daniel  y  DARYANANI, Sunil. Tratamiento del paciente con metástasis vertebrales. Rev. venez. oncol. [online]. 2006, vol.18, n.3, pp.192-204. ISSN 0798-0582.

Metastases to the spine are a common manifestation of systemic neoplasias. The incident of spinal metastases continues to increase, as a result of increasing survival of patients with cancer. It may cause a number of disabling symptoms including pain and neurological deficits. Treatment decisions require appraisal by a multidisciplinary team. Radiation therapy has been the treatment of choice for metastastic spinal tumors, but advances in radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy and the combination of these therapies have lead to improved patient outcomes. The goal of surgery is to achieve decompression of the neural elements while immediately stabilizing the spine. Recently, minimally invasive techniques have become available. Chemotherapy can play a role in the treatment of uncomplicated spinal metastases in certain conditions. Bisphonates in combination with systemic antitumor therapy has shown to reduce or delay skeletal events. Prompt decisions and effective treatment need be instituted without delay to prevent the establishment of permanent neurological deficits. As the number of treatment options for metastatic spinal increase, it has become clear that effective implementation of treatment can only achieved by a multidisciplinary approach.

Palabras clave : Cancer; vertebral metastasis; treatment; surgery; radiotherapy; chemotherapy; bisphonates.