Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Spinal Cord Compression

"The incubation period of cancers after first primary cancer is approximately 6 years. The speed of cancer progression is slow when compared to that of secondary cancer, but primary cancers tend to have longer incubation periods than secondary cancers. The incubation period of secondary cancers is shorter than that of primary cancers." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"Cancer, second primary is an extremely rare occurrence, with only 0.2% of all cancers being secondary to another type of cancer. Survival is poor, with an average of 11 months between diagnosis of the initial tumor and diagnosis of the second tumor. The most common type of second secondary cancer is adenocarcinoma, usually presenting around 8 years later. A prospective cohort study would be required to ascertain the true incidence of cancer, second primary. However, the data suggested that it may be prudent to advise patients with a history of cancer to have regular screening examinations to detect any early signs of recurrence. If there is suspicion of a second primary, then a biopsy or resection of the suspected lesion should be performed." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"Radiation therapy can produce many different side effects which resolve after a few treatments. The most common side effect is temporary double vision which usually resolves after a few weeks. Other side effects include bruising, fatigue, nausea, and pain around the site of injection. These side effects typically occur within the first week of treatment but may take up to 6 months to fully recover. All these side effects, however, rarely result in permanent damage to the eye." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"SRS should only be considered in patients with a life expectancy of less than 10 years if they are medically fit and their tumours are small and localized." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"The SF-36 scores were significantly improved after SRS compared with the baseline. In addition, the VAS pain scores and the global QOL scores also showed significant improvement after SRS. That these improvements were maintained for up to 1 year post-SRS suggests that SRS may provide relief from symptom burden in this patient population." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"The most common complication is infection, which occurs in about 10% of patients treated with SRS. Good outcomes are expected from SRS. Radiation-induced vision problems and hearing loss occur rarely. SRS is less costly than surgery. Patient satisfaction is excellent; patients prefer it to surgery. SRS should be considered as first-line therapy when no other options are available for patients who are medically fit." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"Stereotactic radiosurgery is a safe and effective method of controlling intracranial tumors. Since 1999, we have been using this technique to treat patients with a variety of intracranial tumors; especially those who have undergone prior surgical resection or biopsy. We believe this technique will continue to be rapidly evolving because of advances in technology and better understanding of radiation dosimetry." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"Cancer, second primary accounts for about 10% of all newly diagnosed cancers in Australia. It is important to note that the incidence of second primary cancers is not increasing, but rather decreasing over time, although there appears to be no obvious trend in mortality rates. New approaches to research and prevention strategies need to be developed." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"In a recent study, we found that baseline symptoms differed between patients with cancer, second primary and non-cancer, second primary. A patient's risk factors for developing a cancer, second primary also differ depending on the type of cancer. Such knowledge may aid in the early detection of cancer, second primary and potentially reduce mortality." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"Stereotactic radiosurgery is effective in treating brain tumors and arteriovenous malformations. It is often used for other conditions such as pituitary adenoma, cavernous sinus meningioma, and operable intracranial metastases. It has been applied to spinal cord compression, multiple sclerosis, trigeminal neuralgia, arteriovenous malformations, and head and neck cancer. Despite widespread use of this procedure, there is little evidence regarding its efficacy and safety for most indications." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"The most recent research suggests that there may be a link between smoking and cancer. This is important because smoking has contributed to approximately 20 percent of all cancers worldwide. In fact, it is projected to become the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States by 2050. Additionally, a minimal amount of cigarette smoke (10 to 15 cigarettes per day) has been shown to increase the risk of developing lung cancer. Therefore, there is an urgent need to educate the public and health professionals about the risks associated with tobacco products and how these products can contribute to cancer development. Another study showed that there was no correlation related to lung cancer and alcohol consumption. More research needs to be done to understand the relationship between smoking and cancer." - Anonymous Online Contributor