Surgical approaches for the treatment of giant cell tumor of bone in Tunisian patients: association with recurrence

Giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) is generally considered a benign tumor, but it can exhibit locally aggressive behavior. The two main surgical treatment options for GCTB are intralesional curettage and en-bloc resection. This study examined the long-term GCTB recurrence rates among Tunisian patients after surgery. A study including 36 patients diagnosed with GCTB was conducted. These patients underwent surgical procedures, specifically intralesional curettage and in bloc resection. Subsequently, we monitored these patients for a two-year post-operative period. Statistical analyses, including Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, Cox proportional hazards regression, and chi-square tests, were performed to identify and evaluate factors associated with local recurrence. Our analysis showed a significant association between surgical treatment and the occurrence of local recurrence (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Interestingly, the rate of local recurrence was notably higher among patients who underwent intralesional curettage (13 out of 21; 61%) compared to those who received en bloc resection (2 out of 15; 13%) (all <i>p</i> < 0.01). En-bloc resection is a reliable treatment choice for GCTB, demonstrating a lower risk of recurrence compared to intralesional curettage. These findings highlight the importance of selecting the appropriate surgical approach to minimize recurrence and improve patient outcomes.