Pharmacological therapy for central giant cell granuloma of the jaws: A systematic review

Pharmacological therapy has been used as an alternative or complementary approach to surgery in central giant cell granuloma (CGCG) of the jaws. This systematic review examined the effectiveness of pharmacological therapy for CGCG of the jaws, focusing on clinical outcomes.

Electronic searches were performed in six databases. Case reports and/or cases series were included. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis method was used to evaluate outcomes related to clinical resolution and recurrence. The risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool.

A total of 74 studies comprising 205 cases of CGCG were included. About 65.4% of cases occurred in individuals under 20 years of age. Most of the treated patients were women (61%) and the mandible (72.2%) was the most reported site. Curettage and enucleation before or after pharmacological therapy were reported in 28.3% and 19% of cases, respectively. The main pharmacological agent used was triamcinolone (37.5%). Complete resolution of CGCG was reported at a rate of 77.1%, while side effects were experienced by 9.8% of individuals. The recurrence rate was 6.8%.

Pharmacological therapy may be an effective and safe option for managing CGCG, especially in the young population. Although the overall success rate in achieving complete resolution is encouraging, further controlled studies are needed to refine drug selection and protocols. Key words:Calcitonin, Central giant cell lesion, Denosumab, Interferon, Pharmacological therapy, Triamcinolone.