Introduction:

The knee is the anatomical region where the largest number of benign and malignant tumors that affect the human skeleton settle, among them is the giant cell tumor.

Objective:

To present a patient with a giant cell tumor that underwent malignant transformation.

Clinical case:

A 28-year-old white male with no morbid health history, who attended the Orthopedics and Traumatology outpatient clinic for presenting a tumor accompanied by pain at the level of the right knee. It appeared two years ago, but has increased in size rapidly in the last two months. Imaging tests were performed using plain radiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging, as well as incisional biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. After analyzing the results of the previous examinations, the multidisciplinary team decided to amputate the limb.

Conclusions:

The giant cell tumor is an entity that occurs most frequently from the third to fifth decades of life; its main complications are recurrence, lung metastases and malignant transformation. In general, patients with this last complication need procedures such as amputation of the limb.

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