In many patients the cysts recur if they are directly adjacent to the growth plate. Giant cell tumors are an aggressive benign tumor that occur in the third and fourth decades of life. They occur in the metaphysis and cross into the epiphysis after the patient has closed his epiphyseal plates. They are locally quite aggressive. The lesions are purely lytic in nature and they occur most commonly in the distal femur and proximal tibia.
Treatment involves surgical curettage, which is an intralesional operation.
This is accompanied by burring or the use of methylmethacrylate to increase the local margins. A bone graft may then also be used. In the rare case, metastatic disease to the lungs may occur. This is confusing since the tumor is considered benign. There is no way to differentiate between the giant cell tumor that will metastasize and the one that won't.