GCT often requires a multi-disciplinary treatment strategy that includes a team of healthcare providers, such as, an orthopedic oncologist, a medical oncologist, orthopedic surgeon, and physical therapist.
Treating gct
Surgical resection remains the universal standard of care for the treatment of GCT of the bone. GCT patients are often young, between 20-50 years old, leading to a preference in surgical techniques that preserve the anatomy of the bone, such as curettage. However, there is no current consensus on the type of surgery or the technique that is best suited for GCT patients. Each patient should be evaluated on an individual basis with their healthcare provider.
It is important to note that while there is no consensus on the type of surgery to treat GCT, surgery can be curative. Especially for early-grade GCT, complete tumor resection is possible. However, complete removal of tumor(s) in more advanced GCT remains difficult and other options or techniques may have to be considered. This is because advanced GCT can be very locally aggressive and infiltrating surrounding tissue inside and outside the affected joint
In patients with recurrence or when surgery is not possible, treatment with medication is useful.
Multi-disciplinary approach
For patients with recurrent or inoperable tumors, a team-based approach is critical. Due to the high recurrence rates for some GCT patients, many treatment options may be explored. Academic institutions, such as research centers, and large cancer centers may be a source of expertise in these situations (5). These institutions often specialize in rare tumors, as they have specialized oncologists and are capable of providing long-term support.
Collaborative care from radiologists, medical oncologists, orthopedic oncologists, orthopedic surgeon, physical therapists, and other sarcoma experts may improve outcome (6).
The NCCN guidelines are widely recognized, comprehensive, and standardized guidelines for clinical policy in oncology. These guidelines detail management decisions based on many different diseases. The NCCN guidelines for Soft Tissue Sarcoma recommend that the care and management of GCT of the bone be done by multi-disciplinary teams due to their experience and expertise with other soft tissue tumors (7). Since GCT of the bone location can be as diverse as the patients with the disease, several other specialists may be involved based on the location.
Consult with your healthcare provider for more information on what type of clinicians should be involved in your care.
