Giant cell lesions of the maxilla and paranasal sinuses

Giant cell lesions of the maxilla and paranasal sinuses represent a rare, locally aggressive disorder which present as a soft tissue mass with distinct histologic and clinical features. There is considerable controversy on the therapeutic modalities, the prediction of clinical behavior based on histologic features, and whether these growths are reactive or neoplastic in nature. We present our clinical experience with four of these lesions. Follow-up ranged from 3 to 11 years. Our results and the rationale for aggressive surgical treatment will be discussed. We hypothesize that giant cell "granuloma" of the maxilla and paranasal sinuses and giant cell tumor of other bones represent a continuum of a single disease process, which may have an aggressive clinical behavior. This paper, with a literature review, will address the treatment controversy and advocate surgical resection for all giant cell lesions.