OSTEOSARCOMA OF THE HAND - A CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY OF 12 CASES

Background. The incidence of osteosarcoma of the hand is about 0.18% o f all osteosarcomas. Methods. This study describes the clinicopatholog ic profile of 12 patients (3 Mayo Clinic and 9 consultation) with oste osarcoma of the hand (13 tumors). Results. The patients (six male pati ents, five female, one unknown) were from 16 to 81 years of age (avera ge, 45). Seven tumors were in phalanges and six in metacarpals. Nine t umors were classified as conventional, one as low-grade intraosseous, one as osteoblastoma-like, one as high-grade surface, and one as perio steal osteosarcoma. Recurrent disease developed in all patients in who m the initial operation resulted in intralesional excision or a margin al margin but not in the five patients in whom the initial operation a chieved wide margins. Only one patient died of metastatic disease. Con clusions. The findings in this review support the conclusion that surg ical treatment with a wide margin provides good results in patients wi th osteosarcoma of the hand.