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Spine
intermediate
X-Type

Metastatic Spine Tumors

Spine Tumors

A 65-year-old man with known prostate cancer presents with progressive thoracic back pain worse at night and new lower limb weakness (4/5) over 2 weeks. MRI shows a T8 vertebral body lesion with epidural extension and cord compression. He has no other visceral metastases. His ECOG performance status is 2. Regarding metastatic spine tumors:

Mark each as TRUE or FALSE

A

The spine is the most common site of skeletal metastases; the most common primary tumors are breast,...

B

The Tokuhashi scoring system predicts survival to guide treatment; it includes six parameters: gener...

C

Metastases most commonly affect the posterior elements; the lumbar spine is the most common location...

D

The SINS (Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score) assesses mechanical instability based on: location, p...

E

Treatment includes steroids for cord compression (dexamethasone 10mg load then 4mg q6h), radiotherap...

Answer the questions to see explanations

Click T (True) or F (False) for each option