Study of 7 cases of giant cell tumor of soft tissue

Abstract

Background: Primary giant cell tumour of soft tissues is a distinct but uncommon group of neoplasms morphologically identical to osseous giant cell tumor. Methods: 7 patients with painless growing soft tissue mass, having no attachment to underlying bone, were identified in a four years retrospective study from two zonal hospitals of armed forces. Histopathology of these lesions revealed admixture of multinucleated giant cell with mononuclear cells. All patients were treated by surgical resection and followed up for recurrence. Results: There were 5 male and 2 female patients in the age group of 18 to 56 years. All lesions were superficial, circumscribed and involved extremities except one. Histologic transition between benign and malignant lesion was present in only one of the 7 patients that recurred after three months of surgery for which she had to be operated again. 2 of our 7 cases were lost in follow up. Conclusion: Primary giant cell tumour of soft tissues usually present as a painless mass and needs to be differentiated from other giant cell rich soft tissue tumors. Benign clinical course is expected if the lesion is excised adequately. Its biological behaviour to have low malignant potential is recognized; but this cannot be predicted and metastasis does occur rarely.