Management of Giant Cell Tumour: A Nigerian Experience

Giant cell tumours (GCT) are the commonest bone tumours worldwide. It is rarely malignant but when it does it progresses to fibrosarcoma with high mortality. Otherwise it causes poor cosmesis, disability and pathological fractures. A total of 19 cases of histologically established Giant cell tumour of the bone were reviewed prospectively in a 5 year study. 14 cases were benign, 4 malignant and one was a malignant transformation. Lesions around the knee accounted for 42.2% of the cases, but the radius was the commonest single bone affected with 26.3%. Eleven patients had curettage, five of them had autogenous bone grafting while the remaining six had bone grafting and plate augmentation. One patient had fore-quarter amputation while seven had tumour resection. There was no recurrence recorded among those that had currretage and autogenous bone grafting. 33% of those that had curettage and bone cementing as well as 16.6% of those that had resection presented with recurrence. One patient died within 3 months of surgery due to metastasis to the lungs, liver and spleen. Mean follow up was 9.2 months (range of 2 to 60 months). With early presentation, curretage and bone grafting is often effective; late presentation however has an increased risk of recurrence due to soft tissue involvement, dearth of investigative tools and financial constraints. Nigerian Journal of Surgical Sciences Vol. 17 (2) 2007: pp. 91-95