Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is an effective treatment approach for spinal metastases. However, local recurrence may occur. This prospective phase 2 trial evaluated whether SBRT with dose escalation in the gross tumor volume through simultaneous integrated boost (SIB-SBRT) can improve local control (LC) without increasing adverse events (AEs).

Eligible patients aged ≥ 20 years with spinal metastases and a life expectancy of > 1 year received SIB-SBRT in 5 fractions over 1 week. The prescribed dose was 30 Gy to the planning target volume for evaluation and an escalated dose of 40 to 45 Gy to the gross tumor volume through SIB. Neurologic examinations and magnetic resonance imaging were performed at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up and every 6 months thereafter. The primary endpoint was the 1-year LC rate. The secondary endpoints included overall survival and AEs, such as vertebral compression fractures (VCFs).

A total of 25 patients with 28 vertebral segments from September 2020 to March 2023 were enrolled in this study. The median follow-up was 26.2 months, and 24 segments in 21 patients were followed up for >1 year. The 1- and 2-year LC rates were 100.0% and 95.0%, respectively. Local recurrence developed in only 1 patient at 18 months. The 1- and 2-year overall survival rates were 92.0% and 72.8%, respectively. Six patients developed VCFs (3 cases each of grades 1 and 2), with 1- and 2-year cumulative incidence rates of 3.6% and 15.6%, respectively. No radiation myelopathy or other grade ≥ 2 AEs occurred, except for 1 case of grade 2 pain.

Dose-escalated SIB-SBRT for spinal metastases demonstrates excellent LC with acceptable toxicity, supporting the need for a larger comparative trial.

There is currently no consensus on the optimal surgical treatment for patients with spinal metastases. Investigating regional variations in surgical management could provide valuable insights to optimize care and refine surgical practices globally.

To investigate differences in patient populations, surgical management, and perioperative outcomes among patients who underwent surgery for spinal metastases in either Boston (United States) or Utrecht (Netherlands).

727 patients surgically treated for spinal metastases in Boston (n=539) and Utrecht (n=188) between 2018-2022 were included. Data on patient characteristics, surgical management, perioperative outcomes, and survival were collected. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for continuous data, and Fisher's exact test for categorical data.

In Boston, a higher percentage of patients had three or more spinal metastases (68% vs 59%; p=0.006) and brain metastases (16% vs 4.3%; p<0.001) at the time of surgery compared with Utrecht. Vertebrectomy/corpectomy with stabilization was performed in 54% of patients in Boston versus none in Utrecht (p<0.001), whereas percutaneous stabilization was performed in 1.3% of patients in Boston versus 39% in Utrecht (p<0.001). In Utrecht, patients received postoperative radiotherapy more frequently (70% vs 54%; p<0.001) and earlier (17 days [IQR:12-24] vs 29 days [IQR:23-39]; p<0.001). Postoperative neurological outcome, complications, reoperation rates, and survival did not differ between the two cohorts (all p>0.05).

Differences in patient populations and surgical management exist between tertiary hospitals on separate continents. Further research is needed to determine the optimal extent and timing of surgery to improve quality of life for patients with spinal metastases.

Treatment of impending pathologic fractures and insufficiency fractures of the sacrum due to metastatic disease and radiation is challenging. The use of traditional hardware is limited by poor bone quality and presence of non-contained defects. The role of minimally invasive photodynamic nails (PDN) for treatment of these fractures remains poorly understood.

Patients with symptomatic impending pathologic fractures of the sacrum due to metastatic bone disease, multiple myeloma, or insufficiency fractures from radiation osteitis who underwent PDN stabilization were identified. Primary outcomes included post-operative complications, pain relief, opioid consumption, and function. Pain was assessed using Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and function was measured using the Combined Pain and Ambulatory Function (CPAF) score. Outcomes were assessed preoperatively at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year and 2 years.

Fourteen patients (median age 70, 50% female) underwent sacral PDN stabilization between 2020 and 2023, with a median 1.4-year follow-up. Overall complication rate was 7% (1/14 patients), with one case of venous thromboembolism. Median pain VAS decreased from 7 preoperatively to 6 at 6 weeks (p = 0.02), and to 4 at 2 years (p = 0.002). Median CPAF score improved from 6 preoperatively to 7 at 3 months and remained at this level through the 2-year follow-up. Chronic opioid use decreased from 85.7% preoperatively to 60% at 2 years.

PDN stabilization sacral insufficiency fractures in oncologic patients is a safe surgical technique that effectively restores patient ambulatory function and provides rapid pain relief. Further research with larger cohorts is warranted to confirm these promising results.

III.

Not applicable.

To test whether dose-escalated single fraction (SF) stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) of 20 Gy to painful bone metastases is superior to conventional SF three-dimensional (3D) conformal radiotherapy (RT) to a standard dose of 8 Gy in achieving complete pain response (CR).

A single-blind, randomized, controlled, phase III trial (ROBOMET) included 126 patients with up to three painful bone metastases, randomly assigned between April 2019 and October 2022 at multiple centers in Belgium. Inclusion criteria were uncomplicated painful bone metastases (worst pain score ≥2 on a 0-10 pain scale) arising from a solid tumor. Treatment consisted of either a single SBRT fraction of 20 Gy or a single conventional RT fraction of 8 Gy. The primary end point was the proportion of patients with a CR 1 month after RT scored according to the International Consensus on Palliative Radiotherapy Endpoints analyzed as per an intention-to-treat principle.

After 1 month, 16 of 63 (25% [95% CI, 15 to 38]) patients treated with conventional RT achieved CR versus 23 of 63 (37% [95% CI, 25 to 50]) treated with SBRT (P = .25). After 3 months, 15 of 63 (24% [95% CI, 14 to 36]) patients achieved CR after conventional RT versus 21 of 63 (33% [95% CI, 22 to 46]) after SBRT (P = .32). Among patients evaluable after 3 months and treated per protocol, the SBRT group had more complete responders (21/39, 54% [95% CI, 37 to 70]) than the conventional RT group (15/48, 31% [95% CI, 19 to 46]; P = .048).

SBRT failed to demonstrate improved CR rates after 1 month.

Optimize deep learning-based vertebrae segmentation in longitudinal CT scans of multiple myeloma patients using structural uncertainty analysis.

Retrospective CT scans from 474 multiple myeloma patients were divided into train (179 patients, 349 scans, 2005-2011) and test cohort (295 patients, 671 scans, 2012-2020). An enhanced segmentation pipeline was developed on the train cohort. It integrated vertebrae segmentation using an open-source deep learning method (Payer's) with a post-hoc structural uncertainty analysis. This analysis identified inconsistencies, automatically correcting them or flagging uncertain regions for human review. Segmentation quality was assessed through vertebral shape analysis using topology. Metrics included 'identification rate', 'longitudinal vertebral match rate', 'success rate' and 'series success rate' and evaluated across age/sex subgroups. Statistical analysis included McNemar and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, with p < 0.05 indicating significant improvement.

Payer's method achieved an identification rate of 95.8% and success rate of 86.7%. The proposed pipeline automatically improved these metrics to 98.8% and 96.0%, respectively (p < 0.001). Additionally, 3.6% of scans were marked for human inspection, increasing the success rate from 96.0% to 98.8% (p < 0.001). The vertebral match rate increased from 97.0% to 99.7% (p < 0.001), and the series success rate from 80.0% to 95.4% (p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed more consistent performance across age and sex groups.

The proposed pipeline significantly outperforms Payer's method, enhancing segmentation accuracy and reducing longitudinal matching errors while minimizing evaluation workload. Its uncertainty analysis ensures robust performance, making it a valuable tool for longitudinal studies in multiple myeloma.

This study aimed to elucidate postoperative outcomes in patients with spinal metastases of prostate cancer, with a focus on patient-oriented assessments.

This was a prospective multicenter registry study involving 35 centers. A total of 413 patients enrolled in the Japanese Association for Spine Surgery and Oncology Multicenter Prospective Study of Surgery for Metastatic Spinal Tumors were evaluated for inclusion. The eligible patients were followed for at least 1 year after surgery. The Frankel Classification, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status, visual analog scale for pain, face scale, Barthel Index, vitality index, indications for oral pain medication, and the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire were used for evaluating functional status, activities of daily living, and patient motivation.

Of the 413 eligible patients, 41 with primary prostate cancer were included in the study. The patient-oriented assessments indicated that the patients experienced postoperative improvements in quality of life and motivation in most items, with the improvements extending for up to 6 months. More than half of the patients with Frankel classifications B or C showed improved neurological function at 1 month after surgery, and most patients presented maintained or improved their classification at 6 months.

Surgical intervention for spinal metastases of prostate cancer significantly improved neurological function, quality of life, and motivation of the patients. Consequently, our results support the validity of surgical intervention for improving the neurological function and overall well-being of patients with spinal metastases of prostate cancer.

In the absence of neurological deficits, the decision for surgery in spinal tuberculosis (STB) depends on the individual experiences of the surgeons, which may differ widely. There is currently no universal consensus on an objective definition of instability in STB. The Tuberculosis Spine Instability Score (TSIS) was developed to discriminate between the stable and unstable spine in STB. In the current study, we analyze the reliability, responsiveness, and construct validity of the TSIS to define clear guidelines for management of STB.

Individuals presenting with STB were evaluated to assess the quality of the TSIS along with testing for validity, reproducibility, and responsiveness. Construct validity was expressed as the Pearson correlation coefficient. Intraobserver test-retest reliability and interobserver reliability was expressed using intraclass correlation. Longitudinal validity was assessed through responsiveness and an effect size calculation.

There were 162 individuals (98 females, 64 males) with STB identified with a mean age of 33.39 years (SD 16.58). The TSIS showed good construct validity with substantial correlation with the Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score (Pearson coefficient 0.827). Near perfect interobserver and intraobserver reliability was obtained with intraclass correlation coefficient values of 0.941 (95% CI 0.921 to 0.957) and 0.985 (95% CI 0.980 to 0.989), respectively. Evaluation of longitudinal validity was performed in 64 individuals at six months apart. With the smallest detectable change measure smaller than the minimal important change measure, the instrument was found to be responsive. The effect size over the six-month period was 1.039.

The TSIS proves to be an excellent discriminative scoring tool with good validity, reliability, responsiveness, and high specificity. It can differentiate between the stable and unstable spine in STB and will provide objective assessments to aid surgical decision-making in this scenario.

The most common adverse event following spine stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is vertebral compression fracture (VCF). There is interest in the development of patient-specific tools that can predict those at high risk of developing VCF. This study aimed to develop a machine learning tool able to predict the development of VCF following spine SBRT using clinical, dosimetric and tumor risk factors.

A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of spinal segments treated with SBRT for spinal metastases was utilized. Machine learning models were applied to this dataset and their ability to predict for VCF was evaluated. Data was split into training and validation sets. Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score (SINS) is the current clinical standard for predicting spine instability in the setting of metastatic disease and served as the baseline model for comparison.

Between 2008 and 2021, 1406 spinal segments were contained within the database. Logistic regression, neural network/multi-layer perceptron, support vector machine and random forest were the machine learning models applied to the dataset. Their accuracy, precision, F1-score, sensitivity and specificity was determined, together with that of SINS. Across performance metrics, the machine learning models outperformed SINS with random forest model having the best performance. Important factors that increase the risk of VCF were identified and include age, pain, extent of pre-existing VCF, location and spinal alignment.

A machine learning model predicting for VCF following spine SBRT has been developed. This model outperformed the current clinical standard of SINS in the prediction of VCF.

Metastases from gastrointestinal (GI) primary cancers are considered relatively radioresistant. This study is one of the largest to evaluate outcomes following stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for GI cancer spinal metastases and supplements its findings with a review of the literature.

A prospectively maintained single-institution database of spinal metastases treated with SBRT was analyzed. Seventy-five patients with 106 GI primary cancer spinal metastases were identified. The median single-fraction dose was 16 Gy (interquartile range (IQR): 14-16). Multi-fraction regimens ranged from 18 to 35 Gy over 2-5 fractions.

Median follow-up was 5 months (IQR: 1-13). Cumulative incidence rates of 3-, 6-, and 12-month local failure (LF) were 5%, 9%, and 10%, respectively. Rates of 12-month LF were 6% for gastroesophageal, 10% for hepatobiliary, and 13% for colorectal cancers. Multilevel tumors ≥ 2 vertebrae were associated with LF (p = 0.006, HR: 5.61, 95% CI: 1.61-19.5). Rates of 3-, 6-, and 12-month overall survival (OS) were 68%, 50%, and 41%, respectively. Multivariable analysis showed epidural disease associated with inferior OS (p = 0.037, HR: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.04-2.96). Complete or partial pain responses for 93 tumors (88%) presenting with pain were 60%, 51%, 32%, and 32% after 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. Ten vertebral compression fractures (9%) developed following treatment. Twelve radiation toxicities (11%) were observed, with no cases of neuropathy or myelopathy.

SBRT offers effective local tumor control and pain palliation with minimal toxicity for GI cancer spinal metastases, whose incidence is expected to rise with advances in screening and systemic therapies.

To investigate the characteristics of spinal adverse events after non-operative treatment for spinal metastases with intermediate instability and to discuss clinical considerations when selecting non-operative treatment.

This study included 56 patients with spinal metastases who had Spinal Instability Neoplastic Scores (SINS) of 7-12 and who underwent radiotherapy and intensive rehabilitation without a bed rest period as initial treatment between 2020 and 2023. We evaluated progression of paralysis and changes in spinal alignment before treatment, within 1 month, 1 to 6 months, and more than 6 months after treatment.

Paralysis progressed within 1 month after treatment in 7 of 56 patients (12.5%). Pre-treatment paralysis and SINS ≥ 11 were significantly associated with progression of paralysis. Alignment changes occurred in 18 of 56 patients (32.1%), with a similar incidence in patients with SINS ≥ 11 and ≤ 10. Fifteen of 44 patients (34.1%) without pre-treatment paralysis had alignment changes, but 1 patient (2.3%) experienced progression of paralysis due to increased instability within 1 month. All 3 patients whose paralysis progressed despite no evidence of malignant spinal cord compression before or after treatment had SINS ≥ 11 and showed vertebral height reduction and kyphosis progression within 1 month.

Patients with pre-treatment paralysis and SINS ≥ 11 can progress to paralysis early; therefore, careful observation and imaging examinations are recommended early after treatment. If spinal alignment worsens, the treatment plan should be reconsidered, including restrictions of activity and surgical treatment.

Study DesignLiterature Review with clinical recommendations.ObjectiveTo highlight impactful studies on pyogenic spondylodiscitis (PS), identified by the AO Spine Knowledge Forum Trauma and Infection, with recommendations for their integration into clinical practice.MethodsFive influential studies on PS that have the potential to shape current practice in spinal infections were selected and reviewed. Each study was chosen for its contribution to a critical phase in PS management: diagnosis, imaging, surgical vs conservative treatment, and antibiotic duration. Recommendations were graded as strong or conditional following the GRADE methodology.ResultsFive studies were highlighted. Article 1: Pluemer et al introduced the Spinal Infection Treatment Evaluation (SITE) Score, a novel scoring tool for standardizing treatment decision-making. Conditional recommendation to incorporate the SITE Score or SISS Score for improved treatment outcomes. Article 2: Maamari et al conducted a meta-analysis comparing imaging modalities, with conditional recommendation to consider 18F-FDG PET/CT to diagnosis PS as an adjunct to MRI which remains the gold standard. Article 3: Thavarajasingam et al demonstrated the potential survival benefit of early surgery in specific PS cases, leading to a strong recommendation for early intervention in appropriate patients. Article 4: Neuhoff et al compared conservative and surgical treatments in well-resourced settings, concluding a strong recommendation for early surgery in appropriate patients. Article 5: Bernard et al evaluated antibiotic treatment duration, with a conditional recommendation for a 6-week course in confirmed cases, based on comparable efficacy to a 12-week regimen.ConclusionsManagement of PS remains complex and varied. This perspective provides spine surgeons with evidence-based recommendations to enhance standardization and effectiveness in clinical practice.

When treating spinal metastases in a palliative setting, maintaining or enhancing quality of life (QoL) is the primary therapeutic objective. Clinicians tailor their treatment strategy by weighing the QoL benefits against expected survival. To date, no available model exists that predicts QoL in patients after treatment for spinal metastases.

To develop and internally evaluate a model predicting QoL for patients after treatment for spinal metastases, across the spectrum of (local) treatment modalities.

Cohort study of prospectively collected data.

Patients with spinal metastases referred to a single tertiary referral center in the Netherlands between January 1st, 2016, and December 31st, 2021.

The primary outcome was achieving a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) on QoL using the EQ-5D-3L index score 3 months after the referral visit (at the outpatient clinic or emergency department).

Five prediction models using machine learning were developed: random forest, stochastic gradient boosting, support vector machine, penalized logistic regression, and neural network. Performance was assessed using cross-validation during development and bootstrapping for internal evaluation with discrimination (area under the curve (AUC)), calibration, and decision curve analysis. This study was funded by the AOSpine under the Discovery & Innovation award (AOS-DIA-22-012-TUM). A total amount of CHF 40,000 ($45,000) was received.

In total, 953 patients were included in the study, of which 308 (32%) achieved the MCID at 3 months. Discrimination was fair and comparable between the models, but the random forest model outperformed the other models on calibration and was therefore chosen as the final model (AUC 0.78; confidence interval (CI): 0.71 to 0.85; calibration intercept: -0.06; CI: -0.31 to 0.25; calibration slope: 1.05; CI: 0.70 to 1.44), with the following predictors ranked by importance: baseline EQ-5D-3L index score, Karnofsky Performance Scale, primary tumor histology, opioid use, and presence of brain metastases.

We developed and internally evaluated a random forest model that predicts clinically meaningful improvement of QoL 3 months after the baseline visit at the outpatient clinic for patients with spinal metastases. Future studies should externally evaluate the random forest model to confirm its robustness and generalizability in daily practice.

Spinal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) can be divided into 2 categories: primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (PNHL) and metastases from disseminated DLBCL. Prognostic factors of spinal DLBCL metastases seem to differ from those of other spine metastases and PNHL, although the data in the literature remains scarce.

This study aims at investigating prognostic factors associated with overall survival (OS) in patients with spine DLBCL metastases.

A retrospective study.

371 patients treated for DLBCL, including 62 cases of spine DLBCL metastases.

Patient demographics were collected with survival.

This study is based on consecutive prospective population of, between January 2015 and 2019.

The median age of the 371 patients was 68.4 years (range 19.1-94.0 years) and 58.8% were males (218 patients). The median OS for our whole series was 82.06 months (SD 11.2.), and 53.0 months (SD 41.2, p=.622) for the 62 patients with spine DLBCL metastases. The mean duration between DLBCL diagnosis and development of spine metastases (SpM) was 9.0 months (range 0.0-160.8 months). Cox multivariate proportional hazard model identified ECOG <2 [HR: 0.O59, 95 % CI 0.019-0.075; p<.0001], age <40 years [HR: 0.206, 95 % CI 0.08-0.506; p=.001], and IPI score ≤2 [HR: 0.472, 95 % CI 0.03-2.104; p=.001] as predictors of longer survival. In contrast, age >80 years [HR: 2.198, 95 % CI 1.481-3.261; p<.0001], IPI score >4 [HR: 3.232, 95 % CI 1.765-4.654; p=.008] were independent poor prognostic factors of survival.

Spinal lesions in DLBCL are metastatic in nature whereas spine PNHL, similar to multiple myeloma, appears to be a primary spinal malignancy. The main prognostic factors of DLBCL spine metastases are those of the primary disease itself, and should be considered before spinal surgery.

Solitary spinal metastasis (SM) is one of the indications for total en bloc spondylectomy (TES). Conventional TES carries the risk of damage to the great vessels anterior to the vertebral column, mainly because of a lack of visualization of the anterior structures. In this study, we devised a modified standard TES technique to achieve direct visualization in a 1-stage posterior approach.

Included in this study were patients ≥18 years old with solitary thoracic or lumbar SM who underwent the modified standard TES at our institution between January 2017 and October 2022. Patient data were retrospectively sourced from medical records, and patients had a minimum of 3 months of postoperative follow-up.

This study involved 71 East Asian patients (median age, 57 years; 34 males), comprising 38 patients with thoracic SM and 33 with lumbar SM. Lung cancer was the most common tumor histology. Fourteen patients (19.7%) experienced intraoperative complications; pleural rupture was the predominant complication, and there were no cases of injury to the spinal cord or great vessels. The median operative time was 305 minutes (range, 203 to 660 minutes). The median intraoperative blood loss was 1,000 mL (range, 400 to 4,000 mL). The median perioperative blood transfusion was 4 units (range, 0 to 12 units), and the median hospitalization duration was 17 days (range, 14 to 29 days). Additionally, 27 patients (38.0%) had acute (perioperative) complications. Seven patients were lost to follow-up. Significant clinical improvement was achieved 3 months postoperatively. Postoperative early and late complications were observed in 5 patients. Of the 64 patients with completed follow-up, 47 (73.4%) had negative surgical margins, and none received postoperative radiation therapy. Revision surgery for local tumor recurrence was performed in 4.7% of patients. The median follow-up was 31.5 months (range, 3 to 81 months).

Our modified standard TES was demonstrated to be a safe and effective surgical technique for solitary thoracolumbar SM.

Therapeutic Level IV . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Patients with vertebral metastases often experience spinal instability, chronic pain, and psychological distress, all of which can significantly reduce quality of life. Spinal instability, measured by the Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score (SINS), may exacerbate functional impairment and emotional distress, underscoring the potential benefit of personalized recovery interventions.

This prospective, observational study investigated the impact of personalized recovery interventions on spinal instability, psychological distress, and quality of life in oncological patients with vertebral metastases.

The experimental group received tailored rehabilitation strategies, while the control group underwent standard oncological care. Spinal instability was assessed using the Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score (SINS), psychological distress was measured with the Hopelessness Depression Symptom Questionnaire (HDSQ), and quality of life was evaluated using the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D). The experimental group demonstrated significantly lower mean SINS scores, indicating reduced spinal instability, and lower HDSQ scores, suggesting decreased psychological distress. They also exhibited improvements in mobility, self-care, usual activities, and anxiety/depression dimensions of the EQ-5D. Furthermore, the experimental group had longer survival times, lower fracture rates, and reduced prevalence of osteoporosis, anemia, and vomiting. These findings underscore the potential benefits of integrating physical and psychological rehabilitation into routine oncological management.

Personalized recovery interventions appear to enhance functional independence, emotional well-being, and overall quality of life in patients with vertebral metastases. Future research should focus on longitudinal, multicenter, randomized controlled trials to confirm these findings and further elucidate the complex interplay between spinal instability, psychological distress, and functional recovery.

Study DesignNarrative Review.ObjectivesTo summarize the work of the AO Spine Knowledge Forum Tumor, specifically studies from the Epidemiology, Process and Outcomes in Spine Oncology (EPOSO) study.MethodsA narrative review of all published manuscripts from the EPOSO study was undertaken. EPOSO represents a multicenter, prospective registry effort across 10 North American and European sites to enroll patients with metastatic disease of the spine.ResultsThe current review summarized all studies from the EPOSO network, divided into the following five sections: (1) quality of life and satisfaction, (2) overall survival, (3) spinal instability, (4) neurologic outcome in patients with metastatic epidural spinal cord compression or radicular pain, and (5) patient and tumor-specific factors. Several important findings were elucidated. Patient evaluation should include SINS, nutritional status, severity and duration of neurologic deficit, extent of metastatic tumor burden, and differentiation of axial from radicular pain. Moreover, SOSGOQ2.0 serves as a useful and validated instrument for patient-reported outcome instrument. Despite the palliative nature of metastatic spine surgery, clear improvement in quality-of-life is seen. Even in patients with short-survival, the remaining weeks and months of life result in improved quality-of-life. Metastatic spine surgery often improves neurologic function, potentially enhancing survival through increased performance status.ConclusionsSeveral noteworthy results have come from the EPOSO network, highlighting important trends in metastatic spine care. The AO Spine Knowledge Forum Tumor has helped advancing metastatic spine tumor research as well as ensure these new findings reach and benefit clinicians and their patients.

To present insights gained from a decade of employing stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) as a primary intervention for spinal bone metastasis (SBM) originating from breast cancer (BC).

We retrospectively examined the application of primary SBRT (the CyberKnife System) for BC SBMs between March 2012 and January 2023.

We recruited 47 female patients with 82 SBMs affecting 104 vertebrae. The mean age was 53.2 ± 12.7 years. The overall local control (LC) rate of primary SBRT for BC SBMs was 84.1%. The median local progression (LP) occurred at 12 (3-66) months. The LP rates were 9.7%, 13.3%, and 18.3% at 1, 3, and 5 years following SBRT. We observed a lower LC rate in White patients than that in Asian patients. Factors associated with an increased risk of LP included SBMs from invasive lobular carcinoma, and patients with lower revised Tokuhashi scores. Additionally, the 1-, 3-, and 5-year LP rates of different SFED (≥20 Gy vs. <20 Gy) were 4.3% versus 19.1%, 7.2% versus 24.0%, and 11.5% versus 28.9%. The incidence of acute local adverse events (AEs) was 24.4% and was significantly associated with advanced age and prescribed target coverage of less than 95%.

We have demonstrated SBRT using the CyberKnife System as an effective primary intervention for BC SBMs. Our findings underscore the importance of treatment planning to optimize outcomes and minimize AEs in patients undergoing SBRT for SBMs.

Validation study.

De-novo spinal infections (DNSI) are a concerning healthcare problem. The treatment is established case-based in the absence of clear guidelines. The recently proposed Spinal-Infection-Treatment-Evaluation (SITE) score combines clinical and radiological variables to support decision-making, but it has not been validated among non-spine surgeons.

We aimed to validate this novel score in a real-life setting among surgeons from different clinical specialties.

A single-center study was conducted from 1/10/2023 until 31/12/2023. We collected clinical and radiological data of DNSI patients, treated at our institution. We created fifteen representative specific case presentations, including all spinal locations. A survey was designed to distribute the specific case presentations among physicians from the departments that agreed to participate. Participants were asked to score each case by using the SITE score and calculated intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC3).

Forty-eight survey forms were analyzed (seven spine-surgeons, 41 others) Spine surgeons demonstrated good interobserver reliability (ICC3 = 0.78). Non-spine surgeons showed poor interobserver reliability (ICC3 = 0.48). Subgroup analysis by specialty revealed overall low reliability scores (internal medicine ICC3 = 0.48, orthopaedics ICC3 = 0.43, other surgical specialties ICC3 = 0.56, infectiology ICC3 = 0.55). Participants with more frequent exposure to DNSI (>10 per year; n = 9) showed higher reliability, achieving similar scores to spine surgeons (ICC3 = 0.7).

We found acceptably high interobserver values for the SITE score only for spine surgeons and non-spine surgeons with frequent exposure to DNSI. The reliability of the score was much lower when applied by physicians from other specialties with lesser experience of DNSI.

The Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score (SINS) is used in determining instability in patients with spinal metastases. Intermediate scores of 7 to 12 suggest possible instability, but there are no clear guidelines to address patients with these scores.

We searched in PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases for studies that included patient demographics, tumor histology, surgical or radiotherapy management, and outcomes of patients with intermediate SINS. We reported mean differences and odds ratios (ORs) to assess differences between patients managed surgically versus with radiotherapy alone.

Thirteen articles, totaling 1822 patients with intermediate SINS were analyzed. In 5 studies (38.4%), the management decision was based on a tumor board review. There was no significant difference between surgical management versus radiotherapy (P = 0.24). When dichotomized into SINS 7-9 and 10-12, the OR for surgical management in the 10-12 group compared to the 7-9 group was 6.88 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.31-20.5, P = 0.0005). More renal cell carcinomas were managed surgically instead of with radiotherapy alone than other tumor types (OR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.14-3.05, P = 0.01). There was no statistical difference in overall complications between the 2 treatment groups (OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 0.49-2.54, P = 0.79). Vertebral fracture rates after any radiotherapy type ranged between 20% and 66%. The need for a surgical procedure, including stabilization, vertebroplasty, or kyphoplasty after radiotherapy ranged from 5% to 34.2%.

Complication rates after surgery versus radiotherapy in the intermediate SINS category are similar, but the complication types differ. Patients in the 10-12 SINS subgroup, due to larger lytic area and higher probability of vertebral body fracture, could benefit from stabilization before radiotherapy.

Retrospective cohort study.

To build a predictive model for risk factors for failure of radiation therapy, hypothesizing a higher SINS would correlate with failure.

Patients with spinal metastasis being treated with radiation at a tertiary care academic center between September 2014 and October 2018 were identified. The primary outcome measure was radiation therapy failure as defined by persistent pain, need for re-irradiation, or surgical intervention. Risk factors were primary tumor type, Karnofsky and ECOG scores, time to treatment, biologically effective dose (BED) calculations using α/β ratio = 10, and radiation modality. A logistic regression was used to construct a prediction model for radiation therapy failure.

One hundred and seventy patients were included. Median follow up was 91.5 days. Forty-three patients failed radiation therapy. Of those patients, 10 required repeat radiation and 7 underwent surgery. Thirty-six patients reported no pain relief, including some that required re-irradiation and surgery. Total SINS score for those who failed reduction therapy was <7 for 27 patients (62.8%), between 7-12 for 14 patients (32.6%), and >12 for 2 patients (4.6%). In the final prediction model, BED (OR .451 for BED > 43 compared to BED ≤ 43; P = .174), Karnofksy score (OR .736 for every 10 unit increase in Karnofksy score; P = .008), and gender (OR 2.147 for male compared to female; P = .053) are associated with risk of radiation failure (AUC .695). A statistically significant association between SINS score and radiation therapy failure was not found.

In the multivariable model, BED ≤ 43, lower Karnofksy score, and male gender are predictive for radiotherapy failure. SINS score was among the candidate risk factors included in multivariable model building procedure, but it was not selected in the final model.

Prognostic level III.

The application of minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) in degenerative spine disease and deformity has seen rapid growth in the past 20 years. Building on this experience, such methods have been adopted into spine oncology in the past decade, particularly for metastatic disease. The impetus for this growth stems from the benefits of surgical decompression combined with radiation treatment in patients with metastatic disease in conjunction with the need for less morbid interventions in a patient population with limited life expectancy. The result of these two realizations was the application of minimally invasive techniques for the treatment of spine tumors including re-establishment of spinal stability, decompression of the spinal cord or nerve roots, and restoration of spinal alignment. Technological advancement and improvement in biomaterials have allowed for durable stabilization with short constructs even for patients with poor bone quality. The implementation of navigation and robotic capabilities has transformed MISS by streamlining surgery and further reducing the surgical footprint while laser ablation, endoscopy, and robotic surgery hold the potential to minimize the surgical footprint even further. MISS for intradural tumors is commonly performed, while the role for other primary tumors has yet to be defined. In this article, we describe the evolution of and indications for MISS in spine oncology through a retrospective literature review.

Combining surgery and radiotherapy is the gold standard in treating spinal metastasis when spinal stabilization or surgical decompression is required. Determining the optimal timing for radiotherapy postsurgery is crucial to balance treatment efficacy minimizing wound complications. The study aimed to identify consensus and nonconsensus areas among Latin American spinal surgeons regarding the use, timing, risks, and surgical approach to conventional external beam radiotherapy (cEBRT) following spinal surgery for metastases, specifically focusing on the risk of radiotherapy-related wound complications.

A modified Delphi survey was conducted. The expert panel included active members of AOSpine Latin America with extensive experience in vertebral metastasis surgery. The surveys include 37 statements covering areas of interest. Inter-expert consensus was considered weak (70-79.9%), moderate (80-89.9%), and strong (≥90%).

At least 70% consensus was reached on 32 of the 37 statements (86.5%). This included strong consensus on 10 statements, moderate on 13, and weaker on nine. There was high consensus on sutures and lower consensus on risk factors for cEBRT delay. Experts reached strong agreement on the importance of poor nutrition as a risk factor for cEBRT-related wound complications. Perception of wound risk was greater with a posterior midline approach compared to other approaches, and the highest perceived complication risks were for junctional locations and sacral spine.

We report strong agreements among the experts on important issues such as waiting times and risk factors for cEBRT. The findings underscore the significance of considering factors such as, spinal levels, surgical approaches, and sutures when making clinical decisions.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is suspected to affect the distribution of stress and strain near the vertebral endplates and in the underlying bone. This scenario is worsened by the presence of metastatic lesions on the vertebrae (primarily thoracic vertebrae (60-80 %)) which increase the risk of fracture. As such, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of IVD degeneration on the internal volumetric strains and failure modes of human metastatic vertebral bodies. Five human thoracic spinal segments including one vertebra with lytic metastases and one radiologically healthy vertebra (control) were in situ tested in pure compression within a μCT scanner (isotropic voxel size = 39μm). Each specimen was tested in the elastic regime before and after inducing mock IVD degeneration (enzymatic degeneration with collagenase); and at failure after IVD degeneration. The volumetric strain field was measured using a global Digital Volume Correlation approach (BoneDVC). After IVD degeneration, larger maximum (+187 %, P = 0.002, 95 % CI= [-4447, -1209]) and minimum (+174 %, P = 0.002, 95% CI= [1679, 4258]) principal strains were observed in both metastatic and control vertebrae, with peak differences in correspondence of the IVD anulus fibrosus. IVD degeneration caused a transversal fracture pattern in the vertebrae with failure location onset in the middle portion of the vertebral body and in the cortical shell. In conclusion, IVD degeneration was found to be a key factor in determining the failure mode, suggesting the clinical relevance of including IVD level of degeneration to assess patients' risk of spinal instability. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Vertebrae can be affected by pathologies, like bone metastases, while intervertebral discs tend to degenerate during life. Generally, these structures and pathologies are studied separately. In this study, we explored the effects of artificial intervertebral disc degeneration on the mineralised tissues of the vertebrae with metastases. We observed that the induced intervertebral disc degeneration changes the mechanical behaviour of the vertebral trabecular bone. We believe that the findings of this study may influence the scientific community to develop new clinical tools for the prediction of the risk of fracture in vertebrae with spinal metastases, including the degeneration of the intervertebral discs as a parameter.

Current standard of care treatment for patients with spine tumors includes multidisciplinary approaches, including the following: (1) surgical tumor debulking, epidural spinal cord decompression, and spine stabilization techniques; (2) systemic chemo/targeted therapies; (3) radiation therapy; and (4) surveillance imaging for local disease control and recurrence. Titanium pedicle screw and rod fixation have become commonplace in the spine surgeon's armamentarium for the stabilization of the spine following tumor resection and separation surgery. However, the high degree of imaging artifacts seen with titanium implants on postoperative CT and MRI scans can significantly hinder the accurate delineation of vertebral anatomy and adjacent neurovascular structures to allow for the safe and effective planning of downstream radiation therapies and detection of disease recurrence. Carbon fiber-reinforced polyetheretherketone (CFR-PEEK) spine implants have emerged as a promising alternative to titanium due to the lack of artifact signals on CT and MRI, allowing for more accurate and safe postoperative radiation planning. In this article, we review the tenants of the surgical and radiation management of spine tumors and discuss the safety, efficacy, and current limitations of CFR-PEEK spine implants in the multidisciplinary management of spine oncology patients.

Background and Objectives: The utilization of non-metallic pedicle screws and rods has become a favored approach in the management of spinal tumors. An abundance of metal artifacts improves postoperative imaging and allows for precise radiation treatment planning. Under certain conditions, a vertebral body replacement (VBR) is necessary in addition to dorsal fixation. For a long time, VBR hardware was available as titanium implants only. Recently, other non-titanium products were introduced into the market. This study compares radiotherapy planning after VBR with titanium and non-titanium materials. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study in a single academic center setting. VBR was performed for thoracic spinal metastatic disease. Radiation plan quality was evaluated according to the criteria of the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements, based on postoperative CT imaging. Results: Six patients with dorsal fixation and VBR were included, half of which were treated with titanium VBR and the other half with a minimum metallic implant. In addition, patients received different dorsal fixation hardware. No difference was found in terms of radiation plan quality. With non-titanium materials, visual demarcation during radiation planning was superior. Conclusions: This is the first study in the field to comprehensively compare radiation treatment planning after VBR using different materials. With minimum metallic implants, radiotherapy planning is equal in terms of planning but superior in terms of visual demarcation in comparison to standard titanium VBR, potentially enabling more precise radiotherapy approaches.

This review aimed to formulate the most current, evidence-based recommendations for the prediction of outcome, life expectancy, and quality of life in patients with metastatic vertebral tumors. A systematic literature search on PubMed and Google Scholar from 2012-2022 was done, using the keywords "metastatic vertebral tumors + outcome prediction + prognoses," "quality of life + spine metastases," and "spine metastases + life expectancy." Our PubMed search yielded 402 articles for outcome prediction, whereas 40 articles were identified for life expectancy in spine metastases. These were carefully screened by the co-authors, resulting in 61 and 11 final articles analyzed for this study. Our PubMed search for quality of life yielded 137 articles, of which 63 were carefully analyzed for this study. This up-to-date information was reviewed at two separate Spine Committee meetings of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS). Two rounds of the Delphi method were used to vote and arrive at a positive or negative consensus. The WFNS Spine Committee finalized seven recommendation guidelines on the prediction of outcome, life expectancy, and quality of life in metastatic vertebral tumors. Irrespective of the primary tumor, surgical decompression in appropriately selected patients potentially improves the quality of life. Pre-operative ambulatory status, overall performance, and age are independent predictors of outcome and overall survival. Prognostic scoring systems have evolved to principle-based algorithms, amongst which NOMS is the most widely used.The best tools to measure the quality of life are EUQOL5-D and SOSGOQ in patients with metastatic spine disease.

The recent evidences provided in metastatic hormone sensitive prostate cancer (nmHSPC) and in nonmetastatic castration resistant (nmCRPC) introduced the possibility to adopt Androgen Receptor Signaling inhibitor (ARSi) alone (both settings) or with chemotherapy (in mHSPC). In daily clinical practice there are some opening questions regarding the inclusion of next generation imaging, mainly PSMA-PET, how integrate local treatment as radiotherapy, how to select patients or drugs in a multiple-choice scenario, and how to manage patients with comorbidities and polypharmacy. These issues led the Italian Society for Uro-Oncology (SIUrO) to develop a consensus project involving all of the most important Italian scientific societies engaged in the multidisciplinary and multiprofessional management of the disease. This paper describes the items and statements approved, with the aim to support clinicians in managing metastatic hormone sensitive and nonmetastatic castration resistant prostate cancer patients.

Spinal metastases at the thoracolumbar junction (TLJ) pose a significant risk for spinal instability and necessitate special considerations regarding surgical management. Longer patient survival due to improved oncologic therapies may justify extensive instrumented surgery.

The aim of this study was to analyze the standard of care in a large multicentric cohort of patients with TLJ metastases regarding surgical decision-making, management, and associated morbidity.

Patients with surgically treated spinal metastases at the TLJ between 2010 and 2022 were enrolled at five academic tertiary spine centers. Epidemiological, surgical, clinical, and outcome data was assessed retrospectively. Surgical management was sorted according to three groups: decompression ( i ), decompression and posterior instrumentation ( ii ), and decompression and 360° instrumentation with vertebral body replacement ( iii ). Sole biopsies or kypho-/vertebroplasties were excluded.

The inclusion criteria was met by 396 patients, of which 59 (15%) were treated with decompression ( i ), 235 (59%) with posterior instrumentation ( ii ), and 102 (26%) with additional vertebral body replacement ( iii ). The main factor for selection towards instrumentation was a higher SINS score (SINS 9 in ii , 10 in iii vs. 7 in i , p < 0.0001). Surgical complications occurred in 55 cases (14%), slightly more frequent following instrumentations (15% ii, iii vs. 8% i , p = 0.427). Reoperations were necessary in 65 cases (16%), mostly due to SSI (n = 19, 29%), local recurrence (n = 15, 23%), and hardware failure (HWF) during follow-up (n = 9, 18%, i-iii , p = 0.7853). HWF occurred significantly more frequent in cases with multisegmental metastases at the TLJ (p = 0.0002) which were treated with longer constructs (p = 0.0092). Median postoperative survival was 10 months. The occurrence of complications reduced postoperative survival drastically in all groups (p = 0.0023).

In this large multicentric patient cohort with TLJ metastases, the majority of patients (85%) were treated with instrumented spine surgery. The main factor for patient selection towards instrumented surgery was a higher SINS score. Long instrumentations for multisegmental disease at the TLJ were identified with higher risk for hardware-failure during follow-up. In those patients, frequent follow-up imaging is warranted. As postoperative survival is drastically reduced by the occurrence of postoperative complications, it is imperative to carefully select the individually appropriate extent of surgery in order to avoid postoperative complications.

cross-sectional survey.

To evaluate AO Spine members' practices and comfort in managing metastatic and primary spine tumors, explore the use of decision-support and patient assessment tools, and identify knowledge gaps and future needs in spine oncology.

An online survey was distributed to AO Spine members to query comfort levels with key decisions in spinal oncology management, utilization of decision frameworks and spine oncology-specific instruments, and educational material preferences.

Responses were obtained from 381 members across 82 countries. Most respondents were orthopedic spine surgeons (62%) or neurosurgeons (36%), with 42% performing 100-200 spine surgeries per year. Extradural primary and metastatic tumors were managed by 84% and 95% of respondents, respectively, with survival and frailty assessment tools used for both. While most surgeons felt comfortable determining when emergency surgery was needed (81% for primary and 82% for metastatic tumors), nuanced decisions about surgical timing were more challenging. Surgeons also noted challenges in tailoring the oncologic surgical plan to what the patient could safely tolerate. There was a strong desire for guidelines on tumor-related spinal pain (85%), treatment timing (85%), stabilization (85%), and glucocorticoid use for symptomatic extradural metastatic tumors (77%). Interest was high for classification systems for spine tumor pain (65%) and stabilization decisions (80%).

Additional support is needed in decision-making regarding surgical timing, patient selection, and tailoring treatment invasiveness to life expectancy and frailty. Surgeons seek further guidance to prevent neurologic deterioration and optimize recovery. Guidelines and classification systems were highly coveted for daily practice.

This narrative review provides a comprehensive overview of the current status, recent advancements, and future directions in the management of metastatic spine disease using both radiotherapy and surgery. Emphasis has been put on the integrated use of radiotherapy and surgery, incorporating recent developments such as separation surgery, active dose sparing of the surgical field, and the implementation of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer implants. Future studies should explore the effects of minimizing the time between radiotherapy and surgery and investigate the potential of vertebral re-ossification after radiotherapy to obviate the need for stabilization surgery. Concerted efforts should be directed toward fostering multidisciplinary collaboration among radiation oncologists, spine surgeons, and medical oncologists.

The objective of this study was to analyze treatment approaches and outcomes according to patients' perspectives for patients with indeterminate spinal instability caused by neoplastic lesions. Data were collected from 31 patients with a total of 147 spinal neoplastic lesions, 29 of whom had lesions classified as indeterminate. These lesions were divided into two groups: the low indeterminate group (SINS 7-9) and the high indeterminate group (SINS 10-12). Conservative treatment was the primary approach (93%), resulting in improvement in 59% of cases, stability in 22%, and asymptomatic outcomes in 19%. No significant differences in self-reported outcomes were found between surgical and non-surgical treatments (p = 0.98, p = 0.18). Surgery was reserved for patients with severe pain or impending neurological compromise. Our findings suggest that conservative management is a viable option for most patients with indeterminate spinal instability caused by neoplastic lesions, provided pain and neurological stability are adequately controlled.

Pathologic vertebral fractures (PVF) are common and serious complications in patients with metastatic lesions affecting the spine. Accurate assessment of cancer patients' PVF risk is an unmet clinical need. Load-to-strength ratios (LSRs) evaluated in vivo by estimating vertebral loading from biomechanical modeling and strength from computed tomography imaging (CT) have been associated with osteoporotic vertebral fractures in older adults. Here, for the first time, we investigate LSRs of thoracic and lumbar vertebrae of 135 spine metastases patients compared to LSRs of 246 healthy adults, comparable by age and sex, from the Framingham Heart Study under four loading tasks. Findings include: (1) Osteolytic vertebrae have higher LSRs than osteosclerotic and mixed vertebrae; (2). In patients' vertebrae without CT observed metastases, LSRs were greater than healthy controls. (3) LSRs depend on the spinal region (Thoracic, Thoracolumbar, Lumbar). These findings suggest that LSRs may contribute to identifying patients at risk of incident PVF in metastatic spine disease patients. The lesion-mediated difference suggests that risk thresholds should be established based on spinal region, simulated task, and metastatic lesion type.

Systematic review, expert opinion and Delphi technique, and validity and reliability studies.

We developed Jakarta Instability Score (JIS) to identify spinal instability and the need of fusion in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS).

This study consisted of systematic review to find predictors of spinal instability, expert opinion and modified Delphi technique to develop JIS, and validity and reliability studies of the newly developed JIS.

A total of 54 studies were included in the systematic reviews to obtain predictors of spinal instability. Through expert opinion and modified Delphi technique, JIS was developed and consisted of the clinical component (back pain), dynamic radiograph component (dynamic translation and angulation), and MRI component (facet joint effusion), each of the component would be scored, and the total scoring would be from 0 to 14. The final scoring would classify patients into three groups: stable group (score of 0 to 4) in which the fusion is not needed, potentially unstable group (score of 5 to 8) in which the decision of fusion is based on surgeon's clinical judgment, and unstable group (score of 9 to 14) in which the fusion is needed. Final step of study concluded that this JIS had a high validity and reliability.

The newly developed JIS was a valid and reliable scoring system that could help to identify the presence of instability in LSS and can be used as a guideline to decide whether spinal fusion will be needed.