A HISTOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY OF PRIMARY BONE TUMOURS AND TUMOUR – LESIONS IN ILE – IFE (A THIRTEEN-YEAR RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW)

Abstract

A 13-year (1991 – 2003) retrospective study was carried out on 100 cases of primary bone tumours and tumour like lesions using the records of patients available in the department of Morbid Anatomy and Histopathology, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, and those in the patients case notes. The study was aimed at determining various histological types of primary bone tumours, their relative frequencies and distribution according to age, sex and anatomical sites.

There were 50 cases of malignant primary bone tumours accounting for 50% of all primary bone tumours and tumour-like lesions. The age range was 8 – 76 years with a mean of 35.7 years. The peak age incidence was in the second decade of life. The male to female ratio was 1.9:1. osteosarcoma was the commonest malignant primary bone tumour (42%). This was followed by multiple myeloma and chondrosarcoma, accounting for 36% and 12% respectively. The femur was the most frequently involved bone (24%) in primary malignant bone disease. This was followed by the pelvis and the maxilla, which were involved in 14% of cases each.

Benign primary bone tumours were 28, accounting for 28% of all cases of primary bone tumours and tumour-like lesions. Osteochondroma was the commonest benign bone tumour (32.1%); this was followed by chondroma (28.6%) and benign giant cell tumour (17.9%). The age range was 4 – 60 years. The peak incidence was in the 3rd decade of life (42.9%). The male to female ratio was 1.2:1.

The maxilla was the commonest site for benign bone tumours (14.2%). This was followed by tibia and radius, accounting for 10.7% each.

There were 22 cases of tumour – like lesions. These represented 22% of all primary bone tumours and tumour-like lesions. Ossifying fibroma and fibrous dysplasia accounted for most of the cases, forming 50% and 36.4% respectively. The male to female ratio was 1:1.4. The age range was 9 – 65 years with a mean of 31.5 years. The peak age incidence was in the 2nd and 3rd decade of life, during which 72.7% of cases were seen. The commonest anatomical sites were the maxilla and the mandible accounting for 50% and 40.9% respectively.

The relative frequencies of various histological types of primary bone tumour and their distribution according to age, sex and anatomical sites are similar to those reported in other studies in Ibadan, Lagos, Zaria, African countries, Asia, United States of America and many other parts of the world. However reports from United states of America, Europe, Saudi – Arabia and some Asian countries showed relatively high incidence of Ewing Sarcoma and chordoma ,which were not seen in this study. Osteosarcoma is not associated with paget’s disease of bone in Nigerians unlike the Europeans.

A HISTOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY OF PRIMARY BONE TUMOURS AND TUMOUR – LESIONS IN ILE – IFE (A THIRTEEN-YEAR RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW)