Metastases in the spine prognosis-of-life and survival

What is the life expectancy with the appearance of spinal metastases? A painful question arises in front of those who one way or another had to deal with serious illness. Not coincidentally, the prognosis of this disease is not very comforting. After all, what is metastasis? These secondary tumors, the occurrence of which triggers existing malignant tumor. They can be formed in a variety of tissues and organs. For bone metastasis typical multiple.

Classification

Metastases as secondary cancer often complicate the course of primary cancer. At certain stages of the disease, abnormal cells begin to spread throughout the body unchecked. They are carried by blood or lymph, forming new pathological lesions in a variety of places. It is well known that the development of the tumor, only a single defective cell. In minimum time it reproduces many of their own peers.

Metastasis to the spine often complicates the course of lymphomas, multiple myeloma, malignant tumors, lung, breast and prostate.

But the primary tumor could not be determined always and every patient. Namely, a timely diagnosis and accurate recognition of the primary nature of the disease is crucial for treatment and prognosis. And how soon treatment is started, directly depends on how much is left to live a man.

Given what's happening with the bone tissues, we can distinguish two types of bone metastases in the spine:

• Osteoliticescoy secondary foci. There is activation giant bone cells, causing dissolution of the bone elements. On x-ray images are clearly noticeable decrease in height of individual vertebrae;
• Osteoblastic. They are characterized by chaotic growth of cells and increasing the density of bone substance. The images show the volume change shape pathological zone, which manifests itself as severe "spotting". It often applies to all components of the vertebra.

Morphologically, secondary tumors in the spine are quite variable: their appearance depends on the nature of the primary lesion. On histology often reveals squamous cell cancer of the spine, various carcinoma and many other types of cancers.

Symptoms

The most characteristic manifestations of the pathology are pain. The pain can be dull or stupid, limited or beyond the affected lesion. Mild pain is often resembles the symptoms of osteoarthritis, but in this case it is more pronounced and progressing. Early in the disease it is insignificant, but after some time increases, is constant, stalking at rest. Typical of metastases excruciating pain at night. If the metastases are localized areas of the neck, she can surrender into the hands if the tumors located in the chest area, there are girdle pains.

• Suggest to read: a tumor of the spine.

If any in the lumbar area radiating pain felt in the legs.

Patients often experience a decrease in the sensitivity of limb-type gloves or stockings, their redness. Impaired mobility of the patient, notably the breakdown of his sensitivity. Frequent pelvic disorders.

Treatment

Therapy allows the patient to remain as active as long as possible. The success of the therapy is often determined by its timeliness: a specific period of development of the pathology it started. The faster were diagnosed with metastases, the more likely the possibility of their elimination. Developed the following methods of fighting:

• Operational;
• Radiotherapy;
• Chemotherapy;
• Hormone therapy and so on.

A specific plan of treatment depends on the type and stage of primary disease of the patient, the number and size of tumors. The primary goal of therapy is the maximum possible reduction of pain, elimination of tightness of the brain substance, the relief of the patient's life. Metastasis spine prognosis is not too favorable. One of the main tasks of the physician to increase the life full of life.

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The necessity of using radio - and chemotherapy is determined by the sensitivity to impact of primary tumor. Surgical intervention is performed to reduce the suffering of the patient, and is palliative in the presence of severe pain. All operations can be divided into decompressive-stabilizing and decompressive. The latter is much easier to run and better tolerated, but a dangerous probability of deterioration.

• Suggest to read: tumors of the cervical spine.

The first type of surgery ensures a more effective effect. These operations significantly improve the quality of life of the patient, allowing him to stay longer able to perform vital functions. To do this, use different grafts, implants and retainers. But such intervention is not always possible, and often quite traumatic.

Life expectancy

It is difficult to give a specific answer to a question about the life expectancy of such a patient. Too many factors influence this category:

• Type of underlying disease, or a particular kind of original cancer;
• The size and number of tumors in the spinal column;
• Used methods of treatment;
• The General condition of the patient, the presence of immune resistance of the body, other disease.

Only one-fifth of patients with such metastases live longer than a year since their diagnosis. For the calculation of the duration of life of the patients, the doctors take one year.

Forecast

It is sad, but metastases in the spine tissues appear in the final stages of cancer. Usually this state is an unfavorable factor for prognosis. Experts based on the degree of development of the underlying disease, from which important organs and areas affected, and how much.

Without treatment, people can live a few months, using all known methods of therapy the duration of subsequent life does not exceed 2 years in most cases (90%).

But accurate and early diagnosis while conducting a successful modern treatment, only 80% of patients live 5 years. The nature of the disease is such that patients often do not notice symptoms of anxiety, and seek help too late.