Diffuse-variant tenosynovial giant cell tumor: a rare and aggressive lesion

The diffuse-variant tenosynovial giant cell tumor is rare. Although it shares histologic features with the exclusively intra-articular pigmented villonodular synovitis and local tenosynovial giant cell tumor, its behavior differs dramatically, being locally very aggressive. We report a case of a diffuse-variant aggressive tenosynovial giant cell tumor that, although diploid by flow cytometry, demonstrated trisomy 7 and 5 as well as clonal rearrangements involving chromosomes 1, 3, and 15. These cytogenetic abnormalities may be markers for aggressive behavior and useful for directing treatment.