Osteosarcoma epidemiology and demographics
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
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Overview
Epidemilogy and Demographics
- Osteosarcoma is the 6th leading cancer in children under age 15, comprising 2.4% of all malignancies in pediatric patients, and about 20% of all primary bone cancers.
- Osteosarcoma affects approximately 400 children under age 20 and 500 adults (most between the ages of 15-30) every year in the USA. Approximately 1/3 of the 900 will die each year, or about 300 a year.
- A second peak in incidence occurs in the elderly, usually associated with an underlying bone pathology such as Paget's disease, medullary infarct, or prior irradiation.
- Although about 90% of patients are able to have limb-salvage surgery, complications, such as infection, prosthetic loosening and non-union, or local tumor recurrence may cause the need for further surgery or amputation.
Incidence
- Incidence rates for osteosarcoma in U.S. patients under 20 years of age are estimated at 5.0 per million per year in the general population
- It is slightly more common in males (5.4 per million per year) than in females (4.0 per million per year).
Location
- It originates more frequently in the metaphyseal region of tubular long bones, with 42% occurring in the femur, 19% in the tibia, and 10% in the humerus, 8% in the skull and jaw, and another 8% in the pelvis.
Gender
- There is a slight male predominance.
Age
- Primary osteosarcoma typically occurs in young patients (10-20 years) with 75% occurring before the age of 20.
- Secondary osteosarcoma occurs in the elderly patients.