Medical expert of the article
New publications
Bone tumors in children: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Last reviewed: 07.07.2025
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Bone tumors account for 5-9% of all malignant neoplasms in childhood.
Histologically, bones consist of several types of tissue: bone, cartilage, fibrous and hematopoietic bone marrow. Accordingly, bone tumors can have different origins and differ significantly in diversity.
Classification of bone tumors in children
Below is a modern histological classification. It covers all benign and malignant bone tumors in children and adults.
Bone-forming tumors.
- Benign:
- osteoma;
- osteoid osteoma and osteoblastoma.
- Intermediate:
- aggressive osteoblastoma.
- Malignant:
- osteosarcoma.
Cartilage-forming.
- Benign:
- chondroma;
- enchondroma;
- osteochondroma;
- chondroblastoma;
- chondromyxoid fibroma.
- Malignant:
- chondrosarcoma
- Giant cell (osteoclastoma).
- Round cell tumors.
- Ewing's sarcoma.
- Primitive neuroectodermal tumor.
- Malignant lymphoma of bone.
- Vascular tumors.
- Other connective tissue tumors.
- Other tumors.
- Tumor-like processes.
- Solitary bone cyst.
- Aneurysmal bone cyst.
- Metaphyseal fibrous defect.
- Eosinophilic granuloma.
- Fibrous dysplasia.
- Brown tumor in hyperparathyroidism.
- Giant cell (reparative) granuloma.
The biology of bone tumors has characteristic features that are taken into account when staging and choosing treatment tactics.
Spindle cell sarcomas form solid structures with a centrifugal growth pattern. The peripheral parts are the most immature part of these tumors. Tumor cells and components of surrounding tissues can form a pseudocapsule. An important sign of malignancy is the ability of tumor cells to penetrate the pseudocapsule and form new foci in surrounding tissues. Highly malignant sarcomas can form foci that are not associated with the main tumor.
There are three ways in which bone tumors can grow locally:
- growth with compression of normal tissue;
- direct destruction of normal tissue;
- bone resorption by reactive osteoclasts.
The most common malignant bone tumors include osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma.
What do need to examine?
How to examine?
Использованная литература