Giant-cell tumors of the carpus

Giant cell tumor (GCT) of bone is a rare, benign tumor with some aggressive characteristics such as a high recurrence rate. The tumor usually occurs in the distal radius although it has been reported in the carpus. We reviewed 63 manuscripts published from 1935 to 2005 and report on the treatment of GCT of carpal bone in 29 cases. Intralesional procedures, such as curettage, were associated with a high incidence of recurrence (24%), whereas cases treated with an excisional procedure did not recur.