From May 1989 to May 1992, twenty patients were surgically treated for metastatic spinal tumors. Metastasis was from primary lesions of the breast in seven cases, kidney in four cases, liver in three cases, digestive tract in two cases and others in four cases. Nineteen cases had pain and 16 cases showed neurologic deficits. Two cases were treated by posterior fixation, ten cases by posterior fixation and decompression, and 12 cases by a combined anterior and posterior procedure.
As a result, all cases had pain relief, and neurological improvement was obtained in seven cases. Ten cases (breast: six, kidney: three, other: one) survived, while the remaining ten cases died. If the primary lesion is one of low malignancy, surgical treatment is recommended because of the improvement of QOL and life expectancy.
