Current surgical strategies for treating spinal tumors: Results of a questionnaire survey among members of the German Spine Society (DWG). Issue 1 (January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Disch, A.C.; Kleber, C.; Redemann, D.; Druschel, C.; Liljenqvist, U.; Schaser, K.D.
• Is Part Of: European journal of surgical oncology. Volume 46:Issue 1(2020)
• Page Start: 89
• Page End: 94
• Publication Date: 2020-01
• Subjects: Spine tumor surgery -- Primary tumor -- Spinal metastases -- Multidisciplinary treatment -- Survey -- German Spine Society (DWG); Oncology -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Medical Oncology -- Periodicals; Neoplasms -- surgery -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Chirurgie -- Périodiques; Cancérologie -- Périodiques; Oncologie; Chirurgie (geneeskunde); Electronic journals; Electronic journals -- Sciences; Electronic journals -- Medicine; Electronic journals; 616.994059005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejso.2019.08.019
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0748-7983

Abstract

Abstract: Purpose: Questionnaire survey among the members of the German Spine Society (Deutsche Wirbelsäulen-Gesellschaft, DWG) to objectify oncological infrastructure and current standard of care in spinal tumor treatment in Germany. Methods: All DWG-members were contacted via the society's e-mail and asked to respond in anonymized form to a related questionnaire. Questions were asked regarding surgical specialty, type of institution involved, numbers of spinal procedures, as well as questions on treatment for primary tumors, whether the respondent belonged to a tumor center, decision-making procedures for surgery, and the type of procedure. Results: 84 centers providing surgical treatment for spinal tumors in their departments were identified. 52.6% were carrying out more than 500 spinal procedures per year. There was a significant association (P ≤ 0.05) between the numbers of spinal surgeries, the number of treated tumor patients per year, the organisation in a tumor center and the treatment of primary tumors. 76% are part of a local tumor center for interdisciplinary decision making (i.e.surgical treatment and adjuvant therapy). 74% of the institutions stated that conventional postoperative radiotherapy is standardly administered in the case of secondary lesions, with 24% of them referring patients to external services for radiotherapy. Conclusion: In spite of often large numbers of spinal operations, the centers perform relatively small numbers of tumor operations, particularly for primary tumors. A nearly three-quarter majority of the departments are integrated into interdisciplinary tumor care. However, there is a marked number that do not belong to an interdisciplinary organisation. Further advances in multidisciplinarity and oncology training are a continuous issue to increase treatment quality in spinal tumor patients.