Oncological Emergencies Dr. Gary Harding md, frcpc

Can cause irreversible loss of neurologic function

Definition

• Any radiological indentation of the thecal sac

• Tip of the spinal cord lies at the L1 vertebral level

• Lumbosacral nerve roots form the cauda equina

Epidemiology

• Many cases of unrecognized ESCC

• Difficult to define incidence

• Autopsy review studies suggest around 5% of cancer patients die with ESCC9

Causes

• Metastatic tumor from any primary site

• Tumors with predilection to metastasize to spinal column

• Prostate, breast, and lung carcinoma

• 15-20% of cases

• Renal cell, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, or myeloma

• 5-10% of cases