Giant Cell Tumor eMedicine Orthopedics

Description: Cooper and Travers first described giant cell tumor (GCT) of bone in 1818 (Cooper, 1818). GCTs of bone have been described as the most challenging benign bone tumors (McDonald, 1998). Although benign, GCTs show a tendency for significant bone destruction, local recurrence, and occasionally metastasis. The natural history of GCTs varies widely and can range from local bony destruction to local metastasis, metastasis to the lung, metastasis to lymph nodes (rare), or malignant transformation (rare)
Synonyms and related keywords: GCT, osteoclastoma
Lewis, Peabody & Raymond 2002