PULMONARY METASTASIS OF BENIGN GIANT-CELL TUMOR OF BONE - 6 HISTOLOGICALLY CONFIRMED CASES, INCLUDING ONE OF SPONTANEOUS REGRESSION

Benign giant cell tumor of bone, despite being classified as benign, h as the unusual ability to metastasize. Metastasis of such a tumor has been thought to be rare, with only approximately 50 such cases having been reported. However, as awareness of the metastatic potential of th ese tumors has increased, and methods of detection have improved, meta stasis of benign giant cell tumor has been increasingly recognized. Si x patients with pulmonary metastasis of giant cell tumor have been tre ated at a Los Angeles hospital since 1980. This represents 9.1% of all patients treated for benign giant cell tumor of bone over the same pe riod at this institution, a higher rate than that encountered in previ ously published series. The early detection and treatment of this tumo r is important, because those with complete resection of tumor have th e best prognosis. The nature of these pulmonary metastases remains unp redictable, however, as evidenced by two of the cases in this series: one of spontaneous regression, and another of death caused by pulmonar y failure.