Interventions for the treatment of metastatic extradural spinal cord compression in adults
This revew evaluates the clinical trial evidence to determine how effective radiotherapy, surgery and corticosteroids are
Abstract
Metastatic extradural spinal cord compression (MESCC) due to cancer from other parts of the body affecting the spine and causing compression of the spinal cord often results in pain, impaired functioning including reduced ability to walk, incontinence, and shortened survival. Radiation is the mainstay of treatment, but surgery, and corticosteroids are also used to treat people with MESCC.
This update of a previous review published in 2008 evaluates the clinical trial evidence up to 3 March 2015 to determine how effective radiotherapy, surgery and corticosteroids are in improving functioning and survival, and in reducing pain; and how well tolerated they are in adults with MESCC.
This research is supported by the Department for International Development’s Evidence Building and Synthesis Research Programme which is led by Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Citation
George, R.; Jeba, J.; Ramkumar, G.; Chaco, A.G.; Leng, M.; Tharyan, P. Interventions for the treatment of metastatic extradural spinal cord compression in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2015) [DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006716.pub3]
Links
Interventions for the treatment of metastatic extradural spinal cord compression in adults