A 65-Year-Old Man With Back Pain and Imaging Findings of Spinal Cord Compression.

Spinal cord compression is a potentially devastating consequence of cancer. Early recognition of the signs and symptoms permit diagnosis prior to the development of irreversible neurological damage. This complication occurs in 5% to 10% of patients with malignancy, often at the end stages of the patient's illness; however, it can be the presenting manifestation of malignancy in up to 23% of patients.