BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders (Feb 2020)

Recurrent giant cell tumour of the thoracic spine managed by total en bloc spondylectomy and denosumab therapy: a case report

  • Ping-Guo Duan,
  • Yong-Hong Sheng,
  • Chang-Hao Deng,
  • Ben-Yu Tang,
  • Hao-Qun Yao

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-020-3129-4
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 21, no. 1
pp. 1 – 7

Abstract

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Abstract Background Giant cell tumour (GCT) of the bone is a rare, invasive benign bone tumour, which typically originates in the metaphyseal ends of long bones and rarely in the spine. Here, we report a rare case of recurrent GCT of the thoracic vertebra, which was managed by three-level total en bloc spondylectomy (TES) after denosumab therapy. Case presentation A 50-year-old woman presented with a 2-month history of progressive lower back pain. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed destruction of the T11 vertebra and a soft tissue mass. The patient underwent tumour resection. Computed tomography at the 2-year follow-up revealed relapse of the resected tumour, which had spread to the T12 vertebral body. Subsequently, denosumab therapy was administered to the patient for 1 year. The growth of the tumour was controlled, and its boundary line was clear. Thereafter, TES for the T10-T12 vertebrae was performed, and spinal reconstruction was completed through a one-stage single posterior approach. The patient’s condition improved postoperatively, and no evidence of recurrence of GCT of the bone or spinal deformity was observed at the 32-month follow-up. Conclusions Denosumab therapy contributed to tumour regression. Three-level TES may be an effective and feasible strategy for managing large recurrent GCTs of the spine after denosumab therapy.

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