Osteosarcomas

Osteosarcomas are the most common malignant bone tumors in children and young adults. According to data from the German tumor registry, approximately 4 out of every 1,000,000 individuals under the age of 18 are diagnosed with osteosarcoma each year (averaging about 60 patients annually). Osteosarcomas constitute approximately 2.6% of all cancers in this age group.

Osteosarcomas can occur at any age, but they predominantly (about 85%) arise during adolescence, the period of most rapid growth in the second decade of life. The average age of onset for osteosarcoma in the under 18 age group is approximately 14 years old (specifically ranging from 16 to 18 years old when considering all patients). It is more commonly seen in males than females, with a ratio of about 1.3:1. Osteosarcoma is very rare in children under the age of five.