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Surgery to Prevent Lesions BONE Metastasis ?

XYZin
0 Recommendations

Hi Ladies,

I would like to ask for you opinion about a treatment. My mother has MBC to her whole spinal cord (and some other sites, such as hips, shoulders, femur, ribs etc). The spinal cord is the most important bone area as lesions can cause paralysis of the legs and/or arms.

Recently my mother felt 'electric' shocks through her legs. MRI scans showed that the cancer in her mid/low spinal cord was pressing against the nerves, which thus causes the shocks. My mother was immediately put on two radiotherapy sessions. Hope this helps.

Just in case it does not help, I enquired around, and I heard of a technique to use surgery to remove the cancer (most of it at least) from the spinal cord (T11), fill it with 'bone cement' and then fix it to the rest of the spinal cord.

Who had experience with such a technique (or part of it)?

Thanks,
MomDda

Explore topics in this discussion:

Cancer Surgery Osteosarcoma Pain Spinal fusion Fractures Paralysis Oxycontin

13 replies

GirliebikerTPBC

I think you are talking about kyphoplasty. The physician uses two scopes to enter the vertebra, blows the vertebra up with a balloon, and then puts cement into the vertebra for stabilization and pain reduction. I've had the procedure at T12 and would recommend it. I had very little discomfort post-op and it did relieve the enormous pain I was having since the cancer had caused a compression fracture. It's a day procedure.

I think that if you have the same procedure, but without the balloon use, it is called a verteboplasty.

I don't know if it is supposed to remove the cancer. had a biopsy done at the same time to prove that the fracture was caused by cancer, but they only removed enough of the lesion to do the biopsy. I asked the physician after the procedure about what happened to the rest of the cancer. He said that they don't know what happens to it.

By the way, I think that if your mother has bone metastasis that she has cancer to the spinal bone and not the spinal cord. Cancer to the spinal cord would not be bone metastasis and would be much more serious.

Hope this helps. I'm certainly no expert. Try to google kyphoplasty and verteboplasty. There are good explanation and I even saw a video of the entire procedure!

nancyc

Girlie is right about the spinal cord. The spine (bone) is the structure that protects the spinal cord, which runs down through it. The spinal cord is soft tissue. Cancer in the cord itself would likely result in paralysis from that area downward. Having the kyphoplasty could relieve pain by relieving pressure on nerves caused by fracture and/or compression of vertebral bone which impinges on nerve tissue. Best of luck with your mothers' treatment. When she feels up to it, I hope that she'll come here and chat with us herself.

kat47

Hi,
I had kyphoplasty done on T9 and L2. The one on T9 had to be done so I could do simple things... like walk..
The vertabrae was pushing on my spinal cord. So when it was filled with the cement, it put the spine back in place.
My surgeon said that when he puts the cement in it is at a high temperature and will kill some of the cancer. But, he also said it could push some of the cancer making some break off and travel elsewhere. My pain was excruciating and felt I had no choice but to have the surgery. I am so glad I did.

XYZin

Thank you for your replies!

I think I should indeed look at kyphoplasty as this reduces the risk of leakages of the bone cement compared to vertebroplasty

@Girliebiker & Kat47
Could I ask if the cancer in T12 was 'bulging out' and therefore pressing on the nerves?

Our neurologist said that vertrebroplasty is not an option as the pain was not caused by compressed ('sagging') vertebra, but of cancer bulging out. The 'sagging' vertebra can be 'lifted / pumped' up by bone cement or a balloon (and then cement). However, in my mother's case, the cancer magnified the vertebra on one side. Any ideas?

And indeed you are right, it is metastasis to spinal bone, not the cord! A lot of difference!

Thanks,
MomDa

kat47

My doctor, a spine surgeon, said my vertabrae was pressing on my spinal cord. He never used the words 'bulging out' or 'nerves'. But every doctor explains things differently.
Potatoe, potautoe, lets call the whole thing OFF!

GirliebikerTPBC

My bone metastasis at T12 was a lytic lesion that caused a compression fracture. There was never any pressure against a nerve or spinal cord (thank goodness!), just bone and soft tissue pain. The kyphoplasty pumped up the collapsed T12 vertebra and reduced the acute pain. It did not relieve the pain that occurs with certain movements (like bending at the waist); however, the pain is bearable and I;m glad that I chose to do the kyphoplasty.

What is your mom going to do?

Joy

CSF

she may be able to have something like a Laminectomy done - they remove part of the vertebra, in this case the part that is 'bulging" and placing pressure on the nerves.
each case, and indeed each specific met in each bone is different and so needs a specific approach.
I hope the radiation helps her.

g8orfan

I also have had kyphoplasty and the relief was drastic and immediate. It was done a year ago, and I am preparing to have another done. All of the info the other gals have given you is very good. I also had radiation which helped as well. I had other spinal fractures which were candidates for kyphoplasty but they were nor done because I was on blood thinners so they chose to do only the worst vertibrae. As prodeedures go, it was one of the easiest I have had. Good wishes to your mom and you!

Groovygirlcool

Hi MomDda,

I recently saw a program (in Australia) "Last Chance Surgery", where a young man had a cancerous vertebra removed (osteosarcoma perhaps?), and a metal 'mesh' structure was put in it's place and a piece of his bone was grafted in the mesh "cage", and/or cement filled - something like that (I was cooking at the time, and not paying close attention!).

Also one of the girls here I know has had a titanium vertebra replace a 'crumbled' one of her own - still in pain, but walks and gets through life well each day.

xxxGGC

skeetelmore65

Hi all, I am in such pain after having an ESI that the doc struck something in my spine. I jumped on the table and raised my head to ask what in the world happened. He studdered and answered "Friction". Is there a test that would show if he actually hit my spinal cord or nerve fibers since I am having paralysis in so many parts of my body. I was completely numb in my hands and feet as soon as he hit it and told me to sit up real fast and asked me if I had heavy breathing or my ears ringing? I am at my wits end with this pain that seems to be taking control of my whole life. I stay in bed most of time. I can't walk without legs in excruiating pain especially my knees. I had pain so bad the other day that it felt like I got a personal visit from Kathy Bates. It felt like someone had got a sledge hammer and struck my knees..oohhhhh...I almost called 911 and knew it would do me no good. I do have a compressed fractured vertebrea at the T3-T4 area and my doc(Neurosurgen)didn't tell me off it even after my ACD & F spinal fusion. He didn't even tell me of it. I saw him 9 out of 11 months following the surgery on the C5-C6..something is seriously wrong and I just need help in this matter. Please post a reply so I can get an idea if Kyphoplasty would be a good option for me to check into.
My prayers are w/you so..Take care and always GOD BLESS
http://skeetelmore65.blogspot.com/

lusianagal

sounds like a second opinion may be in order....

XYZin

Hi, thanks for all the replies.

My mother underwent one session of radiation on her T11 vertebra. She did not had a lot of side-effects fortunately.

Now our onc does not want to do anything else about the vertebra anymore (perhaps this is good..?) as she wants to see what happens after three months?!

It seems that the effect (and side-effects!!) of radiation can be best judged after a period of time (three months!)

I wish I could give my mother more clarity, she is already so desperate and hopeless. She is thinking of giving up all together.....makes me want to give up hope too.

another quarter of uncertainty coming up..

-Momda-

Pink94

I had my tumor removed along with diseased vertebrae and the cage was put in its place and filled with cement and bone from hip then they fused it to the vertebrae above it. I also had the rest of my lumbar spine fused due to other spinal problems. This helped my pain and numbness. I actually had no more pain and came off of oxycontin. My surgeon specialized in metastatic spine surgery.
I did have radiation prior to surgery with only minimal effect.

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