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A new and simple scoring system to predict overall survival after irradiation for metastatic spinal cord compression

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Abstract

Purpose

To develop a model that predicts survival in patients irradiated for metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC), hence assisting in the decision between a short and a long-course radiotherapy (RT) regimen.

Methods

138 patients diagnosed with MSCC and treated with RT alone were included. Based on a multivariate analysis, a scoring system was developed. It included four prognostic variables: age, number of vertebrae, ECOG and histology. Total scores ranged between 14 and 24 points and patients were divided into two groups.

Results

The 6-month survival rate was 22% for patients with a score of 14–18 points; and 69% for patients with a score of 19–24 points (P < 0.001). The system exhibits a high specificity and positive predictive value and an appropriate discriminative ability.

Conclusions

Patients with scores between 19 and 24 points were found to survive longer, thus a long-course RT appears to be more appropriate.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Head and Neck Unit, Royal Marsden NHS Trust Foundation, 203 Fulham Rd, Chelsea, London, SW3 6JJ, UK

    P. Nenclares

  2. Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital 12 de Octubre, Ave Córdoba s/n, 28041, Madrid, Spain

    S. Guardado, L. Asiáin, M. Á. Pérez-Escutia, M. C. Peña, A. Bartolomé, A. Ruíz, M. Á. Cabeza, M. Colmenero, N. Gascón, V. Rodríguez, R. Prados, R. D´Ambrosi & J. F. Pérez-Regadera

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  1. P. Nenclares
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  2. S. Guardado
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  3. L. Asiáin
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  4. M. Á. Pérez-Escutia
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  14. J. F. Pérez-Regadera
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Correspondence to P. Nenclares.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethical statement

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Nenclares, P., Guardado, S., Asiáin, L. et al. A new and simple scoring system to predict overall survival after irradiation for metastatic spinal cord compression. Clin Transl Oncol 22, 440–444 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-019-02144-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-019-02144-5

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