Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24691912›Full record

ArticleEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2014

Metastatic spinal cord compression as a result of the unknown primary tumour.

N A Quraishi, D Ramoutar, D Sureshkumar, S R Manoharan, A Spencer, G Arealis, K L Edwards, B M Boszczyk

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 16% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 19 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Evidence-based management of metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC): expert recommendations for standardizing care in Spain.Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico · 2026
    Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Treatment and outcome of metastatic paraganglioma of the spine.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2018
    Article
  7. Article
  8. The Michel Benoist and Robert Mulholland yearly European Spine Journal Review: a survey of the "medical" articles in the European Spine Journal, 2014.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2015
    Review
  9. The Michel Benoist and Robert Mulholland yearly European Spine Journal Review: a survey of the "surgical research" articles in the European Spine Journal 2014.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2015
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

N A QuraishiCentre for Spine Studies and Surgery, West Block, D Floor, Queens Medical Centre, Derby Road, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK, nasir.quraishi@nuh.nhs.uk.
D Ramoutar
D Sureshkumar
S R Manoharan
A Spencer
G Arealis
K L Edwards
B M Boszczyk
Queen's Medical Centre · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposePatients presenting with metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) due to an unknown primary tumour (UPT) present an interesting problem with limited literature available to provide guidance on management. Our aim was twofold-first, to analyse all our patients with MSCC due to a UPT pre-operatively, to review their treatment and outcome; second, make comparisons with those patients who presented with MSCC due to a known primary tumour (KPT) during the same period.

methodsAll data was collected retrospectively from October 2004 to October 2009, then prospectively from October 2009 to October 2012 (8 years). We reviewed all patient records held on the database, including patient demographics, primary tumour, neurological outcome (Frankel grade), complications and survival.

resultsDuring the 8-year study period, out of the 382 patients who underwent emergency surgery for MSCC, 285 patients were included in whom complete information was available. Of these, 17 patients presented with MSCC due to a UPT (6 %; mean age 61 years, 5 M, 12 F). When compared to those with a known primary, the UPT group trended to a longer duration of symptoms prior to surgery (200 vs. 156 days, p = 0.86). They had a similar neurological outcome (88 % remained the same or improved post-operatively vs. 90 % in KPT group; p = 0.42), similar complication rate (23.5 vs. 33.6 %; p = 0.32) and survival (222 vs. 251 days, p = 0.42). The primary site in the UPT group was confirmed in 10/17 (58.8 %)-all 10 were adenocarcinoma [lung (6) and GI (4)]. DISCUSSION: In our series, the incidence of MSCC due to an unknown primary was 6 %. They had similar overall outcome (neurology post-operatively, complications and survival) to those patients with MSCC from a known primary. Our experience would suggest that we need to treat these patients expeditiously with thorough evaluation and urgent treatment.

Indexed as

Neoplasms, Unknown PrimaryAdenocarcinomaAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overChildDecompression, SurgicalFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPostoperative ComplicationsProspective StudiesRetrospective StudiesSpinal Cord Compression

Identifiers

PMID24691912
OpenAlexW2013595097

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.