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CASE REPORT article

Front. Oncol.

Sec. Head and Neck Cancer

Volume 15 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1572560

This article is part of the Research Topic Pathophysiology and Therapeutic Strategies for Oral and Head and Neck Cancers View all 6 articles

Giant Cell Lesions in the Maxillofacial Region: diagnostic points and treatment strategies

Provisionally accepted
Xiaohan Gao Xiaohan Gao 1,2Shuangyi Wang Shuangyi Wang 1,2Yanshan Liu Yanshan Liu 1,2,3Liqiang Chen Liqiang Chen 1,2,3Xiaohong Zhan Xiaohong Zhan 1Jian Sun Jian Sun 1,2,3,4*Haoyue Xu Haoyue Xu 1,2*
  • 1 The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
  • 2 School of Stomatology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
  • 3 Dental Digital Medicine and 3D Printing Engineering Laboratory of Qingdao, School of Stomatology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
  • 4 Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Medicine and Computer Assisted Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Objective: Giant cell-rich lesions in the maxillofacial region are relatively rare, and comprehensive clinical differential diagnostic protocols are currently lacking. This article aims to provide a reference for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of giant cell-rich lesions.Methods: This study investigates the distinguishing features of four types of giant cell-rich lesions in differential diagnosis and treatment: giant cell tumor of bone (GCT), aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC), tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT), and giant cell reparative granuloma (GCRG).Results: Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis reveals strong p63 positivity in the mononuclear stromal cells of GCT, but not in GCRG. The "fluid-fluid level" observed in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a diagnostic indicator for ABC, reflecting variable signal intensities. TGCT is characterized by the presence of synovial monocytes, multinucleated giant cells, foam cells, and hemosiderin-laden cells.Conclusion: Accurate diagnosis requires a comprehensive evaluation of clinical, imaging, and pathological data. While complete resection is crucial for GCT to prevent recurrence and malignant transformation, GCRG typically responds well to curettage due to its benign nature. Early surgical intervention is essential for TGCT to control its aggressive progression and minimize complications.

    Keywords: Giant cell lesions, Maxillofacial region, Giant Cell Tumor of Bone, Aneurysmal bone cyst, Giant cell reparative granuloma, Tenosynovial giant cell tumor

    Received: 07 Feb 2025; Accepted: 26 Mar 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Gao, Wang, Liu, Chen, Zhan, Sun and Xu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Jian Sun, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong Province, China
    Haoyue Xu, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong Province, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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