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Palliative cancer care - pain - Management
How should I manage spinal cord compression?

  • If spinal metastases are thought to be the cause of the pain, seek urgent (within 24 hours) specialist advice from a metastatic spinal cord compression coordinator if available, or alternatively the person's palliative care consultant or oncologist.
  • If there are associated neurological features suggestive of spinal cord compression, seek immediate specialist advice.
  • Unless contraindicated (including a significant suspicion of lymphoma), offer all people with metastatic spinal cord compression a loading dose of 16 mg of dexamethasone as soon as possible after assessment.

In depth

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