Oncohaematologic Disorders Affecting the Skeleton in the Elderly

Multiple myeloma is a hemato-oncologic disease in the elderly population, with a peak incidence in the eighth decade, and represents a malignant bone marrow neoplasia in which a monoclonal strain of atypical plasma cells proliferates and may result in bone destruction. Skeletal metastases represent the most common malignant bone tumor and are the third most common location for distant metastases. They occur predominantly in adults, especially in the elderly population. Chronic lymphatic leukemia is a typical malignancy of the elderly patient and aplastic anemia is a hematologic disorder characterized by pancytopenia, bone marrow hypoplasia, and lack of extramedullary hematopoiesis. Osteomyelofibrosis and sclerosis are chronic myeloproliferative diseases of the elderly, with a peak incidence in the sixth and seventh decade of life. This article addresses these oncohaematologic disorders affecting the skeleton in the elderly, examining the radiographic scanning methods, staging, and prognosis for each.