The Diagnostic Strategy for Malignant Bone Tumors / 대한정형외과학회잡지

ABSTRACT

Malignant bone tumors would be classified as primary malignant bone tumors, secondary malignant bone tumors, and metastatic bone tumors. Primary malignant bone tumors are rare diseases occupying 1% of adult cancers, and 6% of pediatric cancers. The chief complaint of malignant bone tumor patients is pain different from that of malignant soft tissue tumor patients. Diagnostic procedures start with clinical evaluation including current illness, past medical history, family history, and physical examination. Then we take a radiograph first and obtain important and diagnostic clues from it. However pathological diagnosis and information about the extent of tumor are required to obtain a more definite diagnosis and staging. Examinations for detection of local and systemic tumor extent are scintigraphy, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography-CT. If the clinical and radiographic information suggests aggressive or malignant bone tumor, the patient should be referred to a bone tumor specialist without further evaluations.