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The Role of Surgical Therapy

Principles of Effective Surgical Treatment

  • Chapter
Cancer in the Spine

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

  • 1115 Accesses

Abstract

The correct treatment of any spinal column tumor depends on a number of characteristics or factors unique to the individual patient and their individual tumor. There is a broad spectrum of therapies available to treat spinal tumors, ranging from observation to total vertebrectomy. Both undertreatment and overtreatment can lead to trouble. A successful surgical plan follows from a concise, step-wise investigational algorithm:

  1. 1.

    Identify and characterize the tumor.

  2. 2.

    Classify the tumor as stage and extension.

  3. 3.

    Identify an indication for surgery—relative or absolute.

  4. 4.

    Review the non-operative options.

  5. 5.

    Review the options for resection and reconstruction.

  6. 6.

    Determine the role of adjuvant therapy.

  7. 7.

    Formulate a treatment plan that takes all steps into consideration.

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Author information

Authors 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

Authors
  1. 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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Mclain, R.F. (2006). The Role of Surgical Therapy. 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_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-971-4_6

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-074-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-971-4

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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