Cancer of the Spine -- Metastatic Disease to the Musculoskeletal System -- The Pathophysiology of Spinal Metastases -- Tumor Behavior -- Fundamentals of Cancer Treatment -- The Role of Surgical Therapy -- Presenting History and Common Symptoms of Spine Tumors -- Physical Examination -- Imaging -- Imaging of the Spine -- Laboratory Studies and Diagnostic Work-Up of Bony Lesions in the Spine -- Principles of Medical Management -- Multiple Myeloma and Plasmacytoma -- Lymphoma -- Metastatic Breast Carcinoma -- Genitourinary Oncology -- Spinal Metastases From Gastrointestinal Malignancies -- Lung Cancer -- Medical Management of Thyroid Cancer -- Carcinoma of the Unknown Primary -- Primary Tumors of the Spine -- Common Radiotherapy Techniques for Spinal Tumors -- Spinal Radiotherapy for the Pediatric Patient -- Conformal Radiotherapy for Spinal Lesions -- Photon- and Proton-Beam Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Spine Tumors -- Spinal Metastasis -- Biopsy -- Problem-Based Decision Making -- Spinal Cord and Nerve Root Decompression -- Metastatic Disease of the Cervical Spine -- Metastatic Disease of the Thoracolumbar Spine -- Complex Lumbosacral Resection and Reconstruction Procedure -- Neoplastic Disease of the Spinal Cord and the Spinal Canal -- Minimally Invasive Approaches to Spinal Metastases -- Single-Stage Posterolateral Transpedicle Approach with Circumferential Decompression and Instrumentation for Spinal Metastases -- Primary Benign Spinal Tumors -- Surgical Treatment of Primary Malignant Tumors -- Complications of Surgical and Medical Care -- Bracing for Patients With Spinal Tumors -- Rehabilitation in Patents With Tumors of the Spinal Column -- The Management of Pain in Spinal Malignancies -- Surveillance and Screening During Disease-Free Survival -- When Is Enough, Enough?.

Cancer involving the spinal column presents a serious clinical challenge. Properly selected and delivered treatment strategies can insure dramatically better survival and quality of life than ever attainable in the past. Improved therapies and a multidisciplinary approach to patient care now make it possible to treat even the most ominous tumors of the spine with a higher likelihood of success. In Cancer in the Spine: Comprehensive Care, distinguished physicians and researchers from prestigious cancer centers around the world critically examine current trends and innovations in spinal cancer management. Detailing both the fundamental principles of diagnosis and treatment planning, and the cutting-edge techniques of tumor treatment, these experts bring together in one volume a guide to coordinated management of all aspects of cancer in the spine. This comprehensive overview of current and investigational therapies covers chemo- and radiation therapy, pain management, diagnostic radiology, as well as reconstructive surgery and palliative care. Highlights include management of vertebral metastases, minimally invasive surgery for spinal lesions, innovations in radiotherapy, treatment of pathological fractures, and management strategies for primary malignancies, as well as guides to long-term follow-up and end-of-life care. Whether managing the initial evaluation and diagnosis, or providing terminal care for the critically ill, physicians of all backgrounds will find Cancer in the Spine: Comprehensive Care an invaluable reference, providing a wealth of authoritative, multidisciplinary information essential to delivery of optimal treatment to these challenging and deserving patients.