Retrospective Audit of Various Surgical Modalities Adopted for Giant Cell Tumor in a Rural Tertiary Cancer Center

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Oncology
• Bone Tumors

Background:

• Giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) is a rare bone neoplasm with variable clinical behavior.
• Standard treatments range from curettage to wide resection, with diverse oncological and functional outcomes reported.
• Evaluating treatment efficacy in a rural tertiary cancer center is crucial for understanding GCTB management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess functional outcomes and recurrence rates in patients treated for GCTB.
• To compare the effectiveness of different surgical techniques for GCTB.
• To identify optimal surgical strategies for GCTB in a specific clinical setting.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 12 patients with GCTB of extremity bones treated between June 2009 and December 2016.
• Surgical interventions included curettage with cryosurgery/bone cement or wide resection and reconstruction.
• Patient evaluation involved clinical examination, radiography, MRI, biopsy, and Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) scoring.

Main Results:

• Local recurrence was observed in 2 out of 12 patients (16.7%).
• The mean MSTS functional score was 25.
• Campanacci grades included grade 1 (3 cases), grade 2 (2 cases), and grade 3 (7 cases).

Conclusions:

• Curettage combined with adjunctive therapies (polymethylmethacrylate/liquid nitrogen) is effective for benign GCTB, promoting good function and minimizing recurrence.
• Wide excision is indicated for larger tumors where curettage may not achieve adequate oncological control or functional preservation.
• Surgical technique selection should consider tumor size, location, soft tissue involvement, and recurrence status.