The Conundrum of Spinal Metastases—A Review of Current Management

Spinal metastasis remains a significant clinical issue, frequently resulting in substantial pain and disability among cancer patients. Conventional management strategies have historically included chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and open surgical intervention. However, advancements in minimally invasive spinal surgery (MISS) have notably shifted the therapeutic landscape. This review examines recent evidence surrounding MISS, directly comparing it to traditional open procedures. Current literature demonstrates that MISS typically results in reduced intraoperative blood loss, shorter hospitalization durations, decreased infection rates, and functional outcomes that are at least equivalent-if not superior-to those of open surgery. Additionally, the emergence of hybrid therapeutic approaches-specifically, the utilization of separation surgery followed by stereotactic radiosurgery-has shown promise in achieving local tumor control, particularly in select malignancies. This narrative review also evaluates contemporary clinical decision-making frameworks such as NOMS, LMNOP, and NESMS. Further, it advocates for the integration of advanced prognostic tools and tumor genomics to enable more personalized treatment strategies for individuals with spinal metastasis.