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Surgical Treatment of Primary Malignant Tumors

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Cancer in the Spine

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Oncology ((CCO))

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Abstract

The primary goal of treatment for patients with malignant primary spine tumors is to provide cure, or the best chance of cure, if possible. If cure is not possible, we seek to palliate pain and provide early return to function and activity, to maintain or improve neurological function, and to provide a stable spinal column. The “upside” to an aggressive resection of a primary spinal malignancy has never been higher, making the “downside” to a poorly planned or executed surgery all the more unacceptable. With improved medical and radiotherapies, the treating physician now has the opportunity—and the obligation—to carefully tailor treatment to the biology and stage of each specific spine tumor (Table 1). The role of surgery differs depending on tumor type, stage, and location.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH

    Branco Prpa MD

  2. Lerner College of Medicine and The Cleveland Clinic Spine Institute Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH

    Robert F. McLain MD

Authors
  1. Branco Prpa MD
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  2. Robert F. McLain MD
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Lerner College of Medicine and The Cleveland Clinic Spine Institute Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH

    Robert F. McLain MD

  2. The Cleveland Clinic Spine Institute, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH

    Kai-Uwe Lewandrowski MD  & Edward C. Benzel MD, FACS  & 

  3. University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

    Maurie Markman MD

  4. Taussig Cancer Center, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH

    Ronald M. Bukowski MD

  5. Department of Radiation Oncology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH

    Roger Macklis MD

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© 2006 Humana Press, Inc., Totowa, NJ

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Prpa, B., McLain, R.F. (2006). Surgical Treatment of Primary Malignant Tumors. In: McLain, R.F., Lewandrowski, KU., Markman, M., Bukowski, R.M., Macklis, R., Benzel, E.C. (eds) Cancer in the Spine. Current Clinical Oncology. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-971-4_37

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-971-4_37

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-074-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-971-4

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