Comparison of the effectiveness of stereotactic radiosurgery for spinal oligometastatic disease with surgical and conventional external beam radiotherapy determined by local control, overall survival, pain response and toxicities : a systematic review

Abstract EN

The aim of this study is to determine whether there is a benefit of using stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) versus surgery or conventional external beam radiotherapy (cEBRT) for spinal oligometastatic disease in terms of tumor control, pain control, toxicity and morbidity.

This systematic review was conducted by searching electronic databases such as Pubmed, Medline (Ovid) and Oxford Academic using an adapted version of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses” (PRISMA) checklist.

Retrospective and prospective studies were identified and investigated for methods of treatment such as SRS, surgery and radiotherapy of spinal oligometastatic disease.

Local Control rates, Overall Survival (OS) rates, Pain Response (PR) and toxicities were extracted to be investigated and compared.

A study eligibility criterion was made to ensure that results were valid, statistically significant and relevant to the investigation.

One hundred and five articles were relevant to oligometastatic disease with the mention of spinal metastases however 89 of these articles were excluded based on irrelevance to investigation, title, and duplication.

Sixteen full text articles were thoroughly screened including 9 of them in the review.

For 601 patients the average one year local control rate was 89%, average one year overall survival rate was 88%, evidence of pain relief was present, and some patients suffered low grade toxicities.

In conclusion, stereotactic radiosurgery is an excellent modality of treatment of spinal oligometastatic disease as local control rates, overall survival rates, pain response and toxicities indicate improved outcomes in comparison to studies that investigated the same factors with the treatment of surgery or cEBRT.

However, there is a lack of data here to make statistically valid claims and require more studies & data to be analyzed and compared.