Abstract
We evaluated the outcome of conservative treatment for SRE (skeletal related events) of the spine. Fifty-eight patients (32 men and 26 women, mean age 68 years) were treated at our institution between August 2012 and September 2013. The site of the primary tumor was the lung in 20 patients, breast in 11, prostate in 9, and other sites in 18. Instability of the spine was evaluated using the Spine Instability Neoplastic Score (SINS). Early mobilization was performed based on the stability of the spine estimated by SINS. Pain (Numerical Rating Scale (NRS)), imaging studies of the vertebral body, SINS, and ADL (Barthel Index (BI)) were evaluated at the start and at 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 months. NRS improved over time and in the imaging studies, bone formation was gradually observed in almost all cases after three months. SINS improved over time and about 90% of the patients were considered stable after three months. Although mean BI was 71 initially, it gradually improved and at the time of the last observation the mean BI was 82. Our data suggest that early mobilisation is safe and efficient for selected patients who have received conservative treatment for SRE (skeletal related events) of the spine.
