20 Tumor Giant Cells in Regional Lymph Nodes of a Case of Recurrent Giant Cell Tumor of Bone

Abstract

The giant cell tumors of bone usually grow slowly, destroying bone at the site of origin. Following limited surgery they tend to recur locally. In some instances1to16 these tumors acquire malignant properties and metastasize to distant parts of the body by the blood stream. The regional lymph node involvement is rare.1,4 Morphologically, the metastases either retain the benign appearance of the primary growth, or manifest a marked loss of differentiation and assume the characteristics of a highly malignant sarcoma. The present case is unusual, first, because the regional lymph nodes became involved; second, because the nodes contained only 1 cellular component of the growth, namely, the giant cells. To our knowledge, such a spread, involving only the giant cells of the tumor has not been reported previously in the literature. However, a similar case has been observed elsewhere.4