Editorial on the integrated multidisciplinary algorithm for the management of spinal metastases

The spine is a common site for cancer metastasis making it up to 60% of all metastases (1). Due to the complex anatomy of the spine which comprise of mechanical (bone and joints) and neurological (spinal cord and cauda equina) structures, the treatment modalities of spinal metastases (SM) can be more complicated than other osseous metastatic diseases. Conventional management of spinal metastases include external-beam radiotherapy (ERBT), surgical en-bloc tumor resection or both. However, the latter is associated with significant risk and morbidity (2,3) and since patients with metastases are living longer, other managements for palliation and quality of life maintenance are sought after. Recently, alternative ameliorative options such as spine stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and spine stereotactic body radiotherapy (SRBT) are becoming more common (4-6)