Metastatic carcinomas are the most frequent malignant neoplasm of the skeleton. Following the lungs and liver, the skeleton is the third most common site with metastatic involvement. Any bone can be affected, but metastatic deposits usually arise in bones with active bone marrow, such as the vertebrae, pelvic bones, sternum, ribs, and proximal femur. Approximately 80% of metastases to the skeleton are from carcinomas of the breast, prostate, kidney, lung, and gastrointestinal tract. Malignant melanoma is not an uncommon metastatic tumor in adults.
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