Bone Cancer

Bone cancer is uncommon in the US; about 2,100 new invasive bone cancers are diagnosed per year (Rosenberg 1994), accounting for .5% of malignant tumors (Mettler 1995). In 1994 in New Mexico, 17 new cases of in situ and invasive bone cancer were diagnosed, accounting for only 0.3% of all cancers (NMTR 1996).

In general, as age increases, males are diagnosed with this cancer slightly more frequently than females (NCI 1993). Risk factors for bone cancer include Paget's disease, exposure to ionizing radiation, exposure to certain chemicals, metal prostheses, localized bone death, chronic bone infections, and genetic mutations (Rosenberg 1994).

Nationally, the incidence rate of invasive bone and joint cancer for the period between 1986 and 1990 was 0.8 per 100,000 (NCI 1993). In New Mexico, bone cancer incidence rates decreased slightly during the period studied, from approximately 1.3 per 100,000 in 1971 to 1.0 in 1993 (Figure 10). In general, incidence rates of bone cancer in New Mexico appear to be comparable with US rates: between 1986 and 1990, the incidence rate for bone cancer among New Mexicans was less than 1.0 per 100,000.

Spatial Variation

Spatial variation of incidence rates for bone cancer, for the period between 1970 and 1992, among residents of New Mexico, Eddy County, and Lea County, is presented in Tables 11,12 and 13.

Non-Hispanic Whites: During the period studied, the incidence rate for bone cancer among non-Hispanic white males and females combined was 0.9 per 100,000 statewide, and ranged from a low of no cases in Catron, De Baca, Guadalupe, Harding, Hidalgo, Lincoln, Mora, Rio Arriba, Socorro, Taos, and Torrance counties to a high of 2.5 in Union County. Hispanic Whites: During the period studied, the incidence rate for bone cancer among Hispanic white males and females combined was 0.9 per 100,000 statewide, and ranged from a low of no cases in Catron, De Baca, Guadalupe, Harding, Lea, Lincoln, Los Alamos, Mora, Otero, Quay, Torrance, and Union counties, to a high of 3.4 in Roosevelt County.

Temporal Variation

Temporal variation of incidence rates for bone cancer, for the period between 1970 and 1994, among residents of Eddy County and Lea County is presented in Figures 11 and 12.

By Sex: Statewide, bone and joint cancer incidence rates for males appeared to be about the same as for females during the period studied, ranging from a low of approximately 0.7 per 100,000 to a high of 1.5 for several years. In Eddy County, few bone cancer cases were reported during the period studied for either sex, and in Lea County no cases of bone and joint cancer were reported for females. Although trends are difficult to assess because of the small numbers of cases reported, bone and joint cancer incidence rates among both sexes appear to be similar to statewide rates.

By Ethnicity: Statewide, bone and joint cancer incidence rates among non-Hispanic whites appear to be about the same as among Hispanic whites during the period studied. In Eddy County, few bone cancer cases were reported for non-Hispanic whites and Hispanic whites during the period studied, and in Lea County, no cases of bone and joint cancer were reported for Hispanic whites.