A Tertiary Care Centre Experience of Recurrent Giant Cell Tumor Around the Knee Joint

Giant cell tumor (GCT) is a benign but locally aggressive bone tumor. It has a peak incidence between 30-40 years with a predilection for the epiphyseal/metaphyseal region of bone. The most common locations for bone GCT are the distal femur, proximal tibia, distal radius, and sacrum in decreasing order.

In this retrospective study, 22 patients (13 females and nine males) with recurrent giant cell tumors around the knee joint between 2009-2022, with a mean age of 30.2 years (range: 18-55) were included. The patients were followed up monthly for three months, three-monthly for the next two years, six-monthly for the next five years, and thereafter, yearly. The mean follow-up period was 36.97 months (range 23-120 months).

There were 19 recurrences after curettages and three after resections. Re-extended curettage was done in 17 cases and the resultant cavities were filled with autologous bone grafts in six and with polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) cement in the other 11 cases. Reconstruction with megaprosthesis was done in two patients whereas knee arthrodesis was done in two patients after wide resection. The average Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score of our series of 22 patients was 23.1 (Range: 19-30).

Campanacci grade 1 and 2 lesions can be successfully treated with extended curettage and bone grafting/bone cementing. For patients with grade 3 lesions, there are two options available according to the financial status of the patient; the first option is reconstruction with prosthesis and the other option is arthrodesis.