Chapter 2 - Epidemiology of primary bone tumors and economical aspects of bone metastases

Primary bone tumors are rare; they account for less than 0.2% of the malignancies registered. Particularly children and adolescents are affected which make those primary bone tumors have a major impact on patients' life. The incidence of benign bone tumors is considerably higher. A substantial number of primary bone tumors do occur in the context of a hereditary disorder. Both benign as well as malignant primary tumors of bone are outnumbered by far by metastases to the bone. After lung and liver, the skeletal system is the most common site to be involved by metastatic tumor. Studies on the economic impact of bone metastasis are rare and only report on the costs for the health-care sector. The cost burden for metastatic bone disease was 17% of the estimated total direct medical costs. The financial impact is more substantial for patients with cancer at younger age and for cancer types with prolonged survival even with bony metastasis.