OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of early diagnosis of recurrence and early revision after resection of primary spine tumors.

METHODSFrom March 1989 to September 2005, the relate clinic data of 55 patients with giant cell tumors, osteoblastomas, chondrosarcomas and chordomas in spine in big piecemeal and current fashion was analysed.

RESULTSIn 55 cases, 43 patients were followed up and had complete materials. The follow-up time ranged from 1.6 to 16.5 years, averagely 5.8 years. Thirty-four patients followed up regularly, and 12 were found recurrent, in which one C(1) giant cell tumor was found extensively large 3 months after initial surgery and was undertaken palliatory curet. The other eleven lesions were small and re-operated with wide margin. As a result, six patients lived without tumors during the 1 approximately 9.5 years follow-up, one patient gave up revision when found recurred again for economic reason, another four patients recurred repeatedly, but they persisted in regular follow-up and took revision surgeries whenever the recurred lesion were found. As a result, 3 of them lived without tumor and the other one died of other disease without sign of recurrence. In contrast, there were another nine patients who came to follow up until they had symptoms and were confirmed recurrent extensively. Two of them were excised radically for the tumors located in the relatively easily exposed segments of spine and lived without tumor now. While the other seven patients only received palliatory curet and all died of tumors.

CONCLUSIONSRegular follow-up, early diagnosis of recurrence and early revision need to be regarded as part of radical excision and are very important of surgical treatment of spinal tumors, which can prolong the patients' survival time.