Answer to the Letter to the Editor of I. Kehayov et al. concerning “Evaluation of the relevance of surgery in a retrospective case series of patients who underwent the surgical treatment of a symptomatic spine metastasis from lung cancer” by Zairi F, et al. (Eur Spine J [2016]; doi: 10.1007/s00586-016-4397-4)

[摘要] I have carefully read the comments of Kehayov etal.Of course, I would like to add some comments andclarifcations.Among patients with vertebral metastases, lung cancer isconsidered as one of the most unfavourable, with a highercomplication rate, due to an often-altered general conditionand associated comorbidities [1, 2]. As a result, a selectiveanalysis appeared to us to be necessary.We adopted a pragmatic analysis to assess the beneft ofsurgery for lung cancer patients with symptomatic vertebral metastasis. Half of the operated patients had «really»benefted from the surgery, i.e. by fulflling the four proposed criteria: absence of major complication, restoration ofmechanical stability, improvement in pain and preservation(or restoration) of ambulatory status. The interpretation ofthese results (more detailed in the article) is of course up tothe interpretation of each team. However, we must not forgetthat surgery induces side efects, and delays the initiationof anti-cancer treatments, especially when a complicationoccurs.

[学科分类] 骨科学