title: Epidemiology of musculoskeletal tumors in Shiraz, south of Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Musculoskeletal tumors are rare, but their descriptive data in any region are important to reduce mortality rate and improve their management.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospectively, 426 pathologic reports from 1997 to 2008 were reviewed in Shiraz University Orthopedic Hospitals which are the main referral centers for musculoskeletal tumors in south of Iran. We collected and analyzed data on age, gender, anatomical site, and histopathologic types of musculoskeletal tumors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 426 cases, 60.1% were men and 39.9% were women. The commonest malignant bone tumors were osteosarcoma (89; 50.6%), metastasis (30; 17.0%), Ewing's sarcoma (28; 15.9%), and chondrosarcoma (14; 8.0%). The most frequent benign bone tumors were osteochondroma (136; 63.9%), enchondroma (23; 10.8%), giant cell tumor (21; 9.9%), and osteoid osteoma (14; 6.6%). The femur was the most commonly involved site in musculoskeletal tumors. It was followed by the tibia in benign tumors and the humerus in malignant ones. Metastasis (28; 32.6%), soft tissue tumors (18; 20.9%), osteochondroma (10; 11.6%), and osteosarcoma (9; 10.5%) were the most diagnosed bone lesions in patients older than 40.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are no significant changes in epidemiology of musculoskeletal tumors in Shiraz, south of Iran, in comparison with other parts of the world.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Research Center for Bone and Joint Diseases, Chamran Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Solooki
authors.forename: Amir Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Vosoughi
authors.forename: Vahid
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Masoomi