Tenosynovial giant cell tumour of the foot and ankle: the orthopaedic tumour surgeon’s perspective

Tenosynovial giant cell tumour (TGCT) is a rare, benign, locally aggressive proliferative neoplastic disorder of unknown aetiology that affects the synovial linings of joints, tendon sheaths and bursae of the foot and ankle. Pain is the most common complaint of the predominately young patients (30–40 years). MRI with contrast enhancement after gadolinium injection is the gold standard for diagnosing TGCT. Complete surgical resection, either arthroscopically or by an open approach, is the therapy of choice. Inadequate excision with residual tumour mass carries a high risk of recurrence. Adjuvant therapeutic measures are, among others, external beam radiation, intra-articular radioisotope injection and systemic pharmacotherapy. Up to date, there is no sufficient evidence that radiotherapy is sufficient as a stand-alone therapy. Recurrence rate is high and regular post-interventional follow-up is necessary for several years.