OBJECTIVETo identify the survival prognostic factors and clinical outcome of the patients with spinal metastatic tumors and to discuss the surgical treatment strategy of spinal metastatic tumors.

METHODSThe patients with spinal metastatic tumors who received surgeries during January 2003 to June 2012 were enrolled. The survival was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier survival curve. The prognostic factors, divided into patient-related factors, tumor-related factors and therapy-related factors, were analyzed univariately and multivariately by Cox comparative hazard model.

RESULTSThere were 453 patients were enrolled in research including 263 male and 190 female patients with an average age of (56 ± 13) years (10-86 years). The median postoperative survival was 9 months. Local recurrences and peri-operative complications were found in 78 (17.2%) and 72 (15.9%) patients, respectively. Univariate analysis showed the significant prognostic factors for postoperative survival included poor preoperative general condition (χ(2) = 4.16), severe preoperative neurologic deficit(χ(2) = 10.23), not receiving bisphosphonate therapy(χ(2) = 10.47), short disease-free interval before spinal metastasis (χ(2) = 23.31), spinal metastasis as the first manifestation (χ(2) = 10.94), rapid-growth primary tumor(χ(2) = 15.45), visceral metastasis (χ(2) = 4.10), not receiving postoperative radiotherapy(χ(2) = 18.10) and not receiving post-operative sensitive systemic therapy(χ(2) = 11.20) (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed the independent prognostic factors include severe preoperative neurologic deficit (P = 0.012, 95%CI: 1.11-2.30), short disease-free interval before spinal metastasis (P = 0.023, 95%CI:1.05-1.83), rapid-growth primary tumor (P = 0.000, 95%CI:1.74-3.06), visceral metastasis (P = 0.008, 95%CI: 1.08-1.68), not receiving postoperative radiotherapy (P = 0.000, 95%CI:1.38-2.35) and not receiving post-operative sensitive systemic therapy (P = 0.045, 95%CI:1.01-1.58).

CONCLUSIONThe prognostic factors for survival are useful for determining the indication of operation and improving survival and clinical outcome for patients with spinal metastatic tumors.