Recurrent giant cell tumor of the thoracic spine with bilateral pulmonary metastases

J Formos Med Assoc. 2004 Dec;103(12):957-61.

Abstract

Giant cell tumor (GCT) of bone is a challenging clinicopathologic entity. Despite its benign designation, it has the capacity to recur locally and develop rare pulmonary metastasis. We report a case of histologically proven recurrent GCT of the spine (T7-8) involving spinal cord compression, direct extension to 1 lung, and bilateral pulmonary metastases. A 30-year-old woman presented with back pain, and underwent anterior reconstruction for GCT of the T7 at another hospital. As her symptoms deteriorated, she underwent laminectomy at the same hospital 2 months after the first surgery. One year after the first surgery, she was referred to our hospital on account of a progressive neurological deficit and intractable back pain, and underwent an anterior tumor resection at T7-8 and reconstruction, due to tumor recurrence. Postoperatively, the patient did not show neurologic improvement, but her pain decreased. The patient displayed no respiratory difficulties and no apparent change in follow-up chest radiographs for more than 2 years since surgery. This is the first reported case of bilateral pulmonary metastases from GCT of the thoracic spine.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Giant Cell Tumors / pathology*
  • Giant Cell Tumors / surgery
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology*
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / surgery
  • Spinal Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Spinal Neoplasms / surgery
  • Thoracic Vertebrae / pathology*
  • Thoracic Vertebrae / surgery