Welcome to the Metastatic Spinal Cord Compression (MSCC) section.
Here you will find relevant information relating to MSCC.
Signs and symptoms of MSCC and the regional pathway.
Introduction to MSCC
A video about signs and symptoms of MSCC and the regional pathway.
Training for health professionals on identification, diagnosis and management of spinal metastases and metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC), following the new NICE guidelines (2023). Produced by The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust's award-winning MSCC team. Includes guidance on identifying signs and symptoms of MSCC and spinal mets - red flags. Diagnosis and treatment protocols for MSCC and spinal metastases.
Repository of Resources
These case study videos all illustrate how to manage a patient with MSCC.
Staff
When a person living with cancer is admitted into hospital through emergency and unscheduled
care, this often marks a turning point in their illness. Healthcare professionals should See it, Say it, Share it:
- See it – recognise an acute admission as a point of transition for a person living with cancer.
- Say it – take the opportunity to talk to the patient and their family about the risk of further admissions and what
- matters to them.
- Share it – ensure this conversation is the basis of an advance care plan to be shared more widely.
Patient
Patient information portal for advice on braces.
Patient held MSCC alert card
Information leaflet for patients who are at risk of developing metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC). It explains what MSCC is and what symptoms to check for. It also tells patients what to do if the develop symptoms.
Promedics Orthopaedic Limited is a UK market leading supplier to the NHS specialising in Orthopaedic products.
National guidelines for the management of suspected spinal metastasis and MSCC
These Case Study videos illustrate how to manage a patient with MSCC.
Useful Websites
Spinal cancer is one of the most common secondary cancers and, if not treated within 24 hours, can lead to double incontinence, paralysis and death in just 30 days.
The BBC has been given exclusive access to a specialist service in the UK, which is working to extend patients' lives, giving people extra months for final holidays and proper goodbyes.
Service Structures and Job Descriptions (JDs)
Cancer Support Worker - Care Coordinator job description example (Band 4).
MSCC Support Coordinator job description example (Band 5).
Metastatic Spinal Cord Compression (MSCC) Clinical Specialist Coordinator job description example (Band 7).
The Cheshire and Merseyside MSCC Team structure and contact details. This is a useful example of how to design an MSCC service workforce.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
A standard operating procedure outlining the use of corticosteroids in persons with suspected or confirmed metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) or impending metastatic spinal cord compression (IMSCC)
An audit template to be used when auditing an MSCC pathway.
Incident reporting matrix to be used to score incidents in terms of associated harm.
Quality Metrics
This document is a medical incident report form designed to categorise and document clinical and medical incidents related to patient care. It provides a detailed list of incident categories, harm levels, and locations where incidents may occur, along with sections for describing the incident and actions taken.