Analysis of bone tumors in Ramathibodi Hospital, Thailand during 1977-1986: study of 652 cases.

We retrospectively studied all bone tumors diagnosed in Ramathibodi hospital from 1977-1986 regarding frequency, age and skeletal distribution. Six hundred and fifty-two cases were collected. Among these, primary bone tumors accounted for 75 per cent, the remainder were metastatic lesions. Among benign bone tumors, the two most common tumors are osteochondroma (47%), and chondroma (15%). Osteochondroma is frequently found in younger patients with a mean age of 20.12 years and is usually located about the knee. Chondroma, found in this series, usually affected ribs (32%) with a mean age of 27.47 years. Among primary malignant bone tumors, the three most common tumors are osteosarcoma (39.9%), giant cell tumor (22.7%), and chondrosarcoma (14.1%). Osteosarcoma affects younger patients more often than giant cell tumors and chondrosarcomas do, with a mean age of 17.27 years. The common primary malignant bone tumors usually affect weight-bearing bones.