Multicentric giant cell tumor of the upper extremities: 16 years of ongoing disease

Multicentric giant cell tumor is rare and accounts for less than 1% of all giant cell tumors of bone. We describe a case in which all the lesions occurred in the upper extremities. The 13-year-old boy's first tumor was in the left index metacarpal. Over 16 years, giant cell tumors occurred in 8 sites: right distal radius, left lunate, left middle metacarpal, left distal radius, right ring finger proximal phalanx, right radial head, left distal humerus, and left proximal humerus. Intralesional curettage of the lesions located in the hand and carpals was associated with a high incidence of local recurrence, whereas lesions in the proximal radius and in the humerus have not recurred.