Table 1.
Patient, Tumor, and Treatment Characteristics (n=192)
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Age, yr | 56 (20–82) |
| Gender | |
| Male | 157 (81.8) |
| Female | 35 (18.2) |
| ECOG performance status | |
| 0 | 16 (8.3) |
| 1 | 33 (17.2) |
| 2 | 55 (28.6) |
| 3 | 66 (34.4) |
| 4 | 22 (11.5) |
| AFP, ng/mL | 245.2 (1–120,000) |
| Child-Pugh classification | |
| A | 130 (67.7) |
| B | 42 (21.9) |
| C | 20 (10.4) |
| Primary HCC | |
| Controlled | 127 (66.1) |
| Uncontrolled | 65 (33.9) |
| Interval from diagnosis of primary tumor to spinal metastases, mo | 8.6 (0–127) |
| Baseline BPI score (pain severity) | 5.0 (2–10) |
| Extrahepatic metastases other than bone* | |
| Yes | 50 (26.0) |
| No | 142 (74.0) |
| Sites of spinal metastases | |
| Cervical | 26 (13.5) |
| Thoracic | 46 (24.0) |
| Lumbar | 48 (25.0) |
| Sacrum | 8 (4.2) |
| Combined (2 sites or more) | 64 (33.3) |
| Multiplicity of spinal metastases | |
| Yes | 105 (54.7) |
| No | 87 (45.3) |
| Mass-type metastases | |
| Yes | 46 (24.0) |
| No | 146 (76.0) |
| Spinal cord compression (ASIA scale A–C) | |
| Yes (A–C) | 25 (13.0) |
| No (D–E) | 167 (87.0) |
| Pathologic fracture | |
| Yes | 47 (24.4) |
| No | 145 (75.6) |
| BED, Gy10 | |
| ≤38 | 38 (19.8) |
| 39–53 | 132 (68.7) |
| >53 | 22 (11.5) |
| Treatment modalities | |
| RT alone | 140 (72.9) |
| RT+systemic chemotherapy† | 38 (19.8) |
| RT+surgical decompression | 12 (6.3) |
| RT+systemic chemotherapy†+surgical decompression | 2 (1.0) |
| RT technique | |
| Conventional | 107 (55.7) |
| 3D-CRT | 67 (34.9) |
| IMRT | 18 (9.4) |
| Interval from diagnosis of spinal metastases to start of RT, day | 7.0 (0–187) |
Data are presented as median (range) or number (%).
ECOG, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; AFP, α-fetoprotein; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; BPI, Brief Pain Inventory; ASIA, American Spinal Injury Association (A, no motor or sensory neurological function is preserved at or below sacral segments S4–5; B, incomplete sensory function but motor function is not preserved below the neurological level, extending through sacral segments S4–5; C, incomplete motor function but normal sensory function is preserved below the neurological level, and the majority of key muscles below the neurological level have a muscle power of grade <3; D, motor function is preserved below the neurological level, and the majority of key muscles below the neurological level have a muscle power of grade ≥3; E, normal motor and sensory function); BED, biologically effective dose; RT, radiotherapy; 3D-CRT, 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy; IMRT, intensity-modulated radiation therapy.
Including lung, lymph nodes, brain, and adrenal gland;
Including five patients who received sorafenib.