HISTOPATHOLOGICAL PATTERN OF PRIMARY BONE TUMOURS AND TUMOUR-LIKE LESIONS IN JOS UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL: A TEN YEAR REVIEW (JANUARY 2006 TO DECEMBER 2015)

Abstract

Background: Primary bone tumours and tumour-like lesions of bone are relatively rare.
However the surgical management of some cases is life changing therefore a sound knowledge
of differential diagnosis is of utmost importance to both the orthopaedic surgeon and pathologist
in arriving at a definitive diagnosis.
Objective: This study is aimed at documenting a detailed insight on the histopathological pattern
and demographics of surgically removed primary bone tumours and tumour like lesion of bone
diagnosed at the Histopathology Department of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH)
from 1st January 2006 to 31st December 2015.
Methods: A retrospective histopathological review of all primary bone tumours and tumour-like
lesions of bone diagnosed at the Histopathology Department of the Jos University Teaching
Hospital (JUTH) from 1st January 2006 to 31st December 2015 was carried out. Patient
demographic data such as age, sex and anatomical site of tumour biopsy were obtained from case
files, surgical pathology records and the cancer registry. Archived slides and re-cut slides from
tissue blocks were used to diagnose and classify the primary bone tumours and tumour-like
lesions using the 2013 WHO classification of primary bone tumours and tumour-like lesions.
Results: A hundred and twenty eight cases were included in this study; this amounted to about
13 cases per year. Benign tumours accounted for 64.8% of cases of primary bone tumours, while
primary malignant tumours represented 35.2%. The commonest benign bone tumours were
osteochondroma (27.7% of benign cases) and fibrous dysplasia (25% of benign cases). The
commonest primary malignant bone tumour was Osteosarcoma (55.5% of malignant cases). The
peak period of occurrence of both benign and malignant bone tumours was in the second decade
of life, with a mean age at diagnosis of 25.6±15.7years. The study showed an overall male
predominance (M:F 1.3:1). The commonest sites of bone tumour diagnosis were the femur, tibia
and craniofacial bones.
Conclusion: Primary bone tumours and tumour like lesions of bone demonstrated a tendency to
occur in younger patients, with a predilection for the male gender especially in cases of
malignancy. They also tended to affect the long bones of the lower limbs and craniofacial bones
more commonly.

HISTOPATHOLOGICAL PATTERN OF PRIMARY BONE TUMOURS AND TUMOUR-LIKE LESIONS IN JOS UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL: A TEN YEAR REVIEW (JANUARY 2006 TO DECEMBER 2015)