Retrospective analysis of 51 intralesionally treated cases with progressed giant cell tumor of the bone: local adjuvant use of hydrogen peroxide reduces the risk for tumor recurrence

Giant cell tumor of the bone (GCT) has high local recurrence rates and the prognosis is hard to predict. We therefore retrospectively analyzed clinical outcome and recurrences of 51 GCT cases focusing on the effects of adjuvant local use of hydrogen peroxide.

The series enclosed 51 advanced GCT cases of the upper and lower extremities (n = 27 Campanacci grade III; n = 24 grade II; n = 39 surgery at our institution, n = 12 elsewhere). Mean follow-up was 88.3 (± 62.0) months. Surgical details, histology, metastases, recurrences, and interview-based data on satisfaction and function including the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score were evaluated. It was investigated whether hydrogen peroxide was additionally used or not to clean the tumor cavity after curettage as we hypothesized influence on recurrences. To analyze the underlying mechanisms, GCT-derived stromal cell lines were cultured in vitro and tested for cell viability and apoptosis after treatment with hydrogen peroxide. Statistical analysis was performed with Student’s t tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post hoc testing, Mann-Whitney U tests, chi-square tests, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and multivariate Cox regression analysis.

The whole series had 21 recurrences (41%). Eleven recurrences were found (28%) after surgery at our institution. Kaplan-Meier analysis of cumulative recurrence-free survival revealed at 2 years follow-up 69% (72%, only our institution) and at 10 years follow-up 54% (68%, only our institution). Intralesional resection was performed by vigorous curettage, burring, and defect filling with either polymethylmethacrylate bone cement (n = 45) or cancellous bone from the iliac crest (n = 6). Univariate chi-square analysis showed significantly lower recurrence rate after bone cement filling (2.3-fold, p = 0.024). Cleaning of the lesion cavity with hydrogen peroxide significantly reduced recurrence rate (whole collective 2.9-fold, p = 0.004; our institution 2.8-fold, p = 0.04) and significantly increased cumulative recurrence-free survival rate (whole collective at 10 years follow-up 74% versus 31%, p = 0.002; our institution 79% versus 48%, p = 0.02) compared to cases without hydrogen peroxide treatment. In multivariate analysis, significant risk factors for recurrence were pathological fracture (hazard ratio 3.7; p = 0.04), high mitosis rate (hazard ratio 15.6; p = 0.01), and lack of hydrogen peroxide use (hazard ratio 6.0; p = 0.02). In vitro cell culture analyses found apoptotic nature of hydrogen peroxide induced GCT cell death.

The present series proved for the first time that additional cleaning of the tumor cavity with hydrogen peroxide before defect filling significantly reduced recurrence rate and significantly increased recurrence-free survival in advanced but intralesionally treated GCT cases.