Clinical Characteristics and Surgical Outcomes of Metastatic Spine Tumors in the Very Elderly: A Prospective Cohort Study in a Super-Aged Society

Abstract

The number of advanced-age patients with spinal metastases is rising. This study was performed to clarify the characteristics and surgical outcomes of spinal metastases in advanced-age patients. We prospectively analyzed 216 patients with spinal metastases from 2015 to 2020 and divided them into three age groups: <70 years (n = 119), 70–79 years (n = 73), and ≥80 years (n = 24). Although there were no significant intergroup differences in preoperative characteristics and surgery-related factors except for age, patients aged ≥80 years tended to have a worse performance status (PS), Barthel index, and EuroQol-5 dimension (EQ-5D) before and after surgery than the other two groups. Although the median PS, mean Barthel index and mean EQ-5D greatly improved postoperatively in each group, the median PS and mean Barthel index at 6 months and the mean EQ-5D at 1 month postoperatively were significantly poorer in the ≥80-year group than the 70–79-year group. The rates of postoperative complications and re-deterioration of the EQ-5D were significantly higher in the oldest group than in the other two groups. Although surgery for spinal metastases improved the PS, Barthel index, and EQ-5D regardless of age, clinicians should be aware of the poorer outcomes and higher complication rates in advanced-age patients.