title: Epidemiological data and case load spectrum of patients presenting to bone and soft tissue disease management group at a tertiary cancer center.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was conducted to know the spectrum and number of bone and soft tissue (BST) tumors presenting to our institute. We needed to assess the gap between the number of patients seen and infrastructure available, and based on this information, help formulate guidelines for optimum utilization of resources and to provide best possible evidence-based cancer care.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective observational study (epidemiological).
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included all new patients seen in BST-disease management group (DMG) in the year 2010. An audit form was devised to capture all the relevant information. A comparison of our data with other national and international studies was also done.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of total 31,951 new patients registered at our institute, 2007 patients availed BST-DMG services. Sixty percent were bone tumors and 36% were soft tissue tumors. In bone tumor, 66% were malignant, 15% were benign, and 19% were non-neoplastic. Osteosarcoma (43%) was the most common malignant tumor followed by primitive neuroectodermal tumor/Ewing's (27%) and chondrosarcoma (11%). Giant cell tumor was the most common benign bone tumor. Eighty-one percent of all soft tissue lesions were malignant, of which 75% were of mesenchymal origin and 25% were of cutaneous origin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is an attempt to document the epidemiology of musculoskeletal tumors presenting to our institution while guiding the institute to frame and implement disease-specific protocols and generate further research questions. Continued data collection and follow-up can provide valuable information on long-term survival and treatment-related toxicities. This data (within limitations) may be extrapolated to national level to identify the need for infrastructure and human resources.
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Oncology Services, Department of Surgical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gulia
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Oncology Services, Department of Surgical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Puri
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Oncology Services, Department of Surgical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chorge
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Oncology Services, Department of Surgical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Panda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D055815:Young Adult