Review Article

What’s new on giant cell tumor of bone

¹ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nara Medical University, 840, Shijo-cho, Kashihara-City, 634-8521, Nara, Japan
² Department of Orthopaedic Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Via Pupilli 1, 40136, Bologna, Italy
³ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Chicago, 5758 S. Maryland Avenue, Chicago 60637, Illinois, USA
⁴ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Diagonal Paraguay 362, 8330077 Santiago, Chile
⁵ Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology Department, La Paz University Hospital, Paseo de la Castellana 261, 28046 Madrid, Spain
⁶ Department of Musculoskeletal Oncology, Ganga Medical Centre & Hospitals Pvt Ltv, 313, Mettupalayam Rd, Saibaba Koil, Coimbatore 641043, Tamil Nadu, India
⁷ Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong, 21 Sassoon Rd, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, PR China
⁸ Department of Musculoskeletal Tumor, People’s Hospital, Peking University, No. 11 Xizhimen South Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100044, PR China
⁹ Orthopedics and Orthopedic Surgery Department, Ramon y Cajal University Hospital, M-607, Km. 9, 100, Fuencarral-El Pardo, 28034, Madrid, Spain
¹⁰ Departamento de Ortopedia, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7 No. 40–62, 110231, Bogotá, Colombia
¹¹ Department of Orthopedics and Orthopedic Oncology, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 3, 35128, Padua, Italy
¹² Department of Orthopaedics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Medical Science Building, 185 South Orange Avenue, Newark, 07103, New Jersey, USA
¹³ First Department of Orthopaedics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, 41 Ventouri Street, 15562 Holargos, Athens, Greece

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Received: 8 September 2025
Accepted: 8 December 2025

Abstract

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.