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Introduction
Bone tumors are rare and account for about 6% of childhood cancer in with its incidence
increasing with age until late adolescence.
Despite various approaches in the treatment of bone tumors, the improvement in outcome has
been minimal.
This review summarizes the descriptive epidemiology of primary bone tumors in children and
adolescents. In addition, it provides an overview of the most seen common tumor types, and
most affected bones.
Objectives
To determine the epidemiology of primary bone tumors in children and adolescents (5 -19 years
old) admitted at KCMC Orthopaedic department.
Methodology
A hospital based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at KCMC Orthopaedic
department in which all patients within the age of 5 to 19 years diagnosed and/or treated for
primary bone tumors from January 2006 to December 2015 were included in this study. Data
was extracted from patients’ hospital files and analysed using SPSS version 20.
Results
The study included 80 patients with primary bone tumors who were admitted at KCMC
Orthopedic department from the year 2006 to 2015, 15(18.8%) patients were aged 5 to 8 years
while 81.3% were 9 to 19 years. Males comprised 58.8% of the study participants. The long bone
of the lower extremity, femur (30%) held primacy over all other localizations. The knee joint and
the hip joint were equally affected,12.5% each, followed by the humerus (7.5%),
tibia(7.5%),digits(5%),scapula(4%), clavicle(3.8%),fibula and tibia(3.8%),ankle
joint(2.5%),calcaneum(1.2%),femur & tibia(1.2%),talus(1.2%) and vertebrae column.The three
most common primary bone tumor types histopathologically proven were Osteosarcoma
(61.2%), chondrosarcoma (10%) and Exostosis (6.2%) , followed by osteochondroma (5%), then
by giant cell tumor and cavernous hemangioma 3.8% each. Others were Chromyxoid fibroma,
xi
Enchondroma, Chondroblastoma, inclusion body fibromatosis, fibrous Histiocytoma, lipoma and
bone cyst whereby each comprised 1.2% of the cases seen.
Conclusion
Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone tumor seen in children and adolescents who
were treated at KCMC Orthopaedic department, followed next by Chondrosarcoma and
Exostosis. Long bones of the extremities are the most affected sites with the femur holding
primacy over all other localisations. The vertebrae column is the least affected site. Men are
more affected than females and adolescents (9 to 19 years) were more affected than children (5
to 8 years). |
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