Giant-Cell Tumor of the Patella: Case Report

Abstract

Giant cell tumor (GCT) is a tumor found most often in the ends of long bones and is essentially located in the epiphyseal or metaphyseal or epiphyseal equivalent portions of bone. It is a locally aggressive neoplasm, generally arising in adults between the ages of 20 and 40 years, clinically possessing metastatic potential. The classic location is around the knee joint and it starts in the epiphysis spreading to the metaphysis and may erode the cortex in 25% of the cases. Approximately 10% of these tumors have a malignant course. The patella is a rare site with a reported incidence of less than one percent. Rare multicentric forms have been reported. A 14-year-old female from Malang, East Java, presented with a one year history of a progressively growing mass in the left patella associated with slight pain that has been aggravated with activity for 6 months.