Oncological and functional results of the surgical treatment of vertebral metastases in patients with multiple myeloma”

In nearly 30% of patients with myeloma, pathological fractures are found to occur in the spine. If the patients are not treated promptly and satisfactorily, the quality of their lives diminishes. Currently, the standard treatment for metastatic lesions of the spine is radiotherapy, but surgical intervention is becoming more frequent. It is very important to quickly identify metastases and implement surgical treatment before any fracture/s occur.

Over the period of 2010–2014 in our department, a total of 129 patients were treated for metastatic spinal myeloma. 73 patients underwent vertebroplasty and 56 patients were operated on through various methods. Indications for the surgery, its course, technique and outcome were subsequently evaluated. The majority of patients (76%) admitted for treatment, exhibited vertebral fractures. Most lesions were multiplace and involved the vertebral bodies. In 42% of the patients, radiological examinations showed symptoms of compression of the nervous structures, while clinical signs were observed in only 16% of the patients. The functional status of the patients was assessed using the Karnofsky scale, while pain intensity was measured in a VAS score, before and after the surgery. The oncological results were assessed as a survival rate and local recurrence rate.

The average follow-up was conducted within 31 months (min 18, max 48). The patients after vertebroplasty survived 42 months, and the patients after surgery 23 months. Local recurrence of the disease was observed in 12 patients. In 10 patients, among a group of 21 with paresis, their neurological conditions improved. The average results of both their VAS score and Karnofsky performance score in patients after surgery was seen to have improved. Only sporadic postoperative complications after vertebroplasty and surgery were reported.

Early diagnosis of myeloma spine metastasis is essential to achieve the desired results of treatment. Vertebroplasty, as advised, should be performed as early as possible. Both the functional and oncological results after vertebroplasty are beneficial and the complication rates are low. Three relevant factors were found in our study: patient’s age over 65 years, initial diagnosis over 3 years and stage III of disease were related, significantly and statistically to survival.