Evaluation of the patient presenting with a malignant spinal tumor.

Malignant spinal tumors are frequently encountered in clinical practice. Most of these lesions are caused by metastatic or hematopoietic disease processes. It is useful for the practicing surgeon to have a framework for evaluating and treating these conditions. Equally important is the ability to recognize the rare patient who presents with a primary spinal malignancy, which requires a significantly different treatment protocol.