title: Incidence and anatomical distribution of hand tumours: a Singapore study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hand tumours are frequently encountered in clinical practice. A list of differential diagnoses of the most common hand tumours based on anatomical location would be helpful for clinicians. We aimed to determine the anatomical distribution of hand tumours seen at a hand surgery practice in Singapore.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of 50 men and 65 women (mean age 41.7 [range 17-74] years) who underwent excision of hand tumours between 1 June 2010 and 31 December 2012 were reviewed. The histological diagnoses and anatomical locations of the tumours were analysed. The locations were divided into three main groups: (a) distal to the metacarpophalangeal joints (MCPJs); (b) between the MCPJs and carpometacarpal joints (CMCJs); and (c) between the CMCJs and the radiocarpal joint (RCJ).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, the most common tumours excised from the hand were ganglions (n = 66/116, 56.9%) and giant cell tumours of the tendon sheath (GCTTSs; n = 11/116, 9.5%). However, distal to the MCPJs, GCTTSs (n = 11/39, 28.2%) were more common than ganglions (n = 7/39, 17.9%). Most of the ganglions (n = 59/66, 89.4%) arose from between the CMCJs and RCJ.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most hand tumours were benign. Ganglions were the most common tumours between the CMCJs and RCJ, while GCTTSs were the most common tumours distal to the MCPJs.
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore.
authors: Zhi Hao
authors: ZH
authors: Tang
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore.
authors: Vaikunthan
authors: V
authors: Rajaratnam
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore.
authors: Vijayadwaja
authors: V
authors: Desai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D050824:Carpal Joints / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D052737:Carpometacarpal Joints / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D045888:Ganglion Cysts / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005870:Giant Cell Tumors / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006225:Hand / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008662:Metacarpophalangeal Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011884:Radius / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012846:Singapore; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: anatomy; ganglion cysts; giant cell tumours; hand; neoplasms