In addition to higher incidence rates, men also are likely to be diagnosed with all types of musculoskeletal system tumors a few years younger than women. Myeloma, the most common of the musculoskeletal system cancers, is primarily a disease of the elderly, while soft tissue cancers in middle age, and cancers of bones and joints in children and young adults.
Men have a higher incidence of all types of musculoskeletal system tumors than women do. The difference is particularly noticeable in the incidence of myeloma, with both White and Black men being 30% to 40% more likely to have myeloma than White or Black Women. (Reference Table 9A.7 PDFCSV)
Women report more bed days due to musculoskeletal injuries than men do, both in number of women with bed days and the mean number of bed days reported. In 2012, women self-reported a mean of 10.5 bed days versus a mean of 8.0 days for men. Overall, women accounted for 55% of the 99.9 million bed days reported for musculoskeletal injuries in 2012.
Osteoporosis was traditionally thought of as a condition affecting only women. Although approximately 80% of patients with the condition are female, it is being increasingly diagnosed among men. This increased incidence may reflect a greater awareness of the condition among men, rather than a true increase in incidence.
