When treating extremities affected by giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB), curettage should be performed to preserve the joint as much as possible in order to obtain a good functional outcome. The local recurrence risk is high following curettage, but new techniques are being developed to reduce local recurrence. We present a review of the literature reporting favorable results of radiofrequency ablation alone in locally recurrent small GCTB. New filling materials are also being developed to prevent non-oncological complications such as arthrosis and fractures. Routine measurement of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b in serum may be helpful in detecting early instances of local recurrence. For unresectable or metastatic GCTB, there is an urgent need for a new drug that is as effective as denosumab, avoids side effects, and can be administered to pregnant women.
Tsukamoto et al. (Thu,) studied this question.