Studies on Giant Cell Tumors of Bone

on the Nature of the Giant Cels and the Malignity of the Tumor

Abstract

Specimens from 29 cases of giant cell tumors of bone and 42 cases of other bone tumors were pathohistologically examined, with emphasis on the relationship between the multinucleated giant cells and the fibrous stroma in them. The results were summarized as follows:
The giant cell tumor of bone is an osteogenic tumor characterized by the appearance of multinucleated giant cells constituting a cellular osteoid tissue, with the grade of malignity indicated by the behavior of the mono-nucleated tumor cells. With the advance of malignity, the organoid giant cells fall into hypoplasia or dysplasia, oligonucleated giant cells and those of malignant-type coming forth, and the tumor gradually takes on the histological picture of a polymorphous-cell sarcoma. Giant cell tumor tissues may be found sometimes in benign osteoma, osteofibroma and malignant osteoplastic osteosarcoma, too.