Hand tumors: A review of 186 patients at a single institute

The spectrum of diagnoses and clinical features of hand tumors differ from those of tumors in other body parts. However, only a few reports have comprehensively referenced the diagnosis and clinical features of hand tumors. This study aimed to elucidate the diagnostic distribution and the clinical features of hand tumors undergone surgery in our institute.

A total of 235 lesions in 186 patients diagnosed with hand tumors between 1978 and 2020 were reviewed. Age at surgery, gender, chief complaint, tumor location, and pathological diagnosis were analyzed.

There were 121 benign bone tumors, 98 benign soft tissue tumors, and 16 malignant tumors. Chondroma and tenosynovial giant cell tumor were common benign bone and soft tissue tumors at the proximal phalanx of the ring finger and the palm, respectively. Meanwhile, chondrosarcoma and synovial sarcoma were common malignant tumors at the dorsal part of the hand. Local pain and painless mass were the chief complaints in patients with benign bone and soft tissue tumors, respectively. Most patients with malignant tumors were referred after unplanned resection. When patients were classified into two categories by tumor size according to maximal diameter, tumors larger than 19 mm had a significantly higher risk of malignant (p = 0.031) despite being smaller than other tumors in different body parts.

When a tumor malignancy is suspected, the patient should be referred to a specialist to avoid unplanned resection or delayed diagnosis due to misdiagnosis. Knowing the distribution and clinical features should help in diagnosing hand tumors.