Prognosis

Prognosis depends on several factors, including performance status, duration of established paraplegia, and number of sites of metastasis at presentation, as well as the primary cancer and the patient's life expectancy before the development of MSCC.[7]​​

Longer duration of ambulation loss and more severe neurological deficit (e.g., muscle weakness, bladder and bowel dysfunction) are associated with lower probability of recovery of ambulation and neurological recovery in patients with symptomatic MSCC.[93][94]

Reports of recurrence rates of MSCC vary. This may depend, at least in part, on treatment modality. For example, radiotherapy after surgery reduces local recurrence compared with surgery alone, and longer-course radiotherapy schedules may be associated with lower in-field recurrence than short-course schedules.[7]​​

Use of this content is subject to our disclaimer