Outcome of flat bone sarcomas (other than Ewing's) in children and adolescents: a study of 25 cases.

Malignant bone tumours are the sixth most common malignant neoplasms in children, accounting for approximately 5% of childhood malignancies (Young and Miller, 1975; Bernard et al, 1993). With the exception of Ewing's sarcoma, other primary flat bone sarcomas (osteosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma and chondrosarcoma) are rare in children and adolescents, and their incidence increases with advancing age (Boland and Huvos, 1986; Goorin et al, 1987; Huvos and Marcove, 1987; Tucker et al, 1987; Young et al, 1990). In contrast, bone sarcoma occurring as a second malignant neoplasm after irradiation is more likely to arise in flat bones of the axial skeleton than are de novo bone sarcomas (Weatherby et al, 1981; Huvos et al, 1985; Stea et al, 1987; Pratt et al, 1997; Tabone et al, 1999).