Introduction:

Giant cell tumors can originate in bone, synovial, or any other soft tissue. They are characterized by their rapid growth. Despite being commonly benign, if they are allowed to evolve without treatment, they may destroy adjacent tissue, in its growth process, affecting the functionality, structure and appearance of the affected anatomical area.

Objective:

To describe the clinical course and therapeutic management of a patient with a giant cell tumor in the forearm.

Clinical case:

We report the case of a 28-year-old male patient, who was diagnosed with a bone mass in the distal third of the ulna. This patient desired not to undergo surgical management. A year later, he returned to the emergency room. the tumor had greater dimensions, changes at the level of the distal third of ulna, lytic pattern lesions, loss of the cortex, periosteal reaction, poorly defined edges and involvement of surrounding soft tissues. Giant cell tumor was the probable diagnosis. Surgical management allowed the forearm preservation, but one year after surgery, the prognosis remains uncertain, given the probability of recurrence.

Conclusions:

The growth rate of giant cell tumors merits timely decisions, since the time that elapses prior to treatment can, as in the present case, translate into destructive growth of adjacent tissues. More than a year after surgery, the prognosis is uncertain for this patient, as the probability of recurrence remains latent.

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