Spinal cord compression from metastatic breast carcinoma: treatment by radiation therapy alone.

There are few reports in the medical literature of treatment of compression of the spinal cord by the use of radiation therapy alone. Laminectomy has been the standard procedure to relieve compression of the spinal cord and should be performed within 48 hours of initial symptoms. In this patient, radiation therapy was the only modality used. It was supplemented by diethylstilbestrol in the course of follow-up. The result of radiotherapy so far has been excellent. The authors emphasize that radiotherapy was begun three months after development of paraplegia, which makes this an interesting case for presentation.