Recent Results in Cancer Research - 54: Malignant Bone Tumors

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Bone tumors hold a unique position among human tumors due to their rarity and the recent establishment of reliable diagnostic criteria, developed over the last thirty years. An international classification code was outlined five years ago and has been critically applied by various working groups, yielding mixed results. The complexity of histologic manifestations in neoplastic bone presents challenges; even top diagnostic histologists can classify only about 85% of bone tumors using the proposed system. The fascination with osteoclastic giant cells has led to the misdiagnosis of "brown giant cell tumor" for various osteoclastic tumors, regardless of their benign or malignant nature. The classification of "giant cell tumors" remains contentious, particularly concerning their malignancy and benignity, and definitive conclusions will require extensive follow-up studies. However, progress is being made with the establishment of regional bone tumor registries in various countries, inspired by the American model, including efforts in the German Federal Republic.