Musculoskeletal tumors in childhood

As treatment strategies improve, the ability to cure children with musculoskeletal tumors is growing. The stage of a given malignancy, representing the degree of spread of the tumor to its local surroundings or distant sites, is the best predictor of long-term survival. Unfortunately, the insidious nature of the presentation of these tumors leads to their late recognition in advanced stages. This review will present scenarios suggesting the need for consideration of malignancy in the differential diagnosis of clinical problems related to the musculoskeletal system. Pitfalls in diagnosis and therapeutic approaches will also be discussed.