William D. Tap, MD, Chief of the Sarcoma Medical Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the multidisciplinary approach to treating patients with tenosynovial giant cell tumors (TGCT).
TGCT are a group of rare, benign tumors that involve the synovium, bursae and tendon sheath. While these tumors are benign, they can grow and cause extreme damage to the surrounding tissues. The typical treatment for TGCT is surgical removal of the tumor but other options, such as the FDA-approved CSF1R inhibitor, pexidartinib, can be effective.
As Dr. Tap explains, TGCT patients have historically been a difficult group to diagnose and treat. Therefore, most – even before diagnosis – are in frequent contact with rheumatologists, primary care doctors, and orthopedic surgeons. Once a diagnosis is made, orthopedic oncologists and/or medical oncologists become involved depending on the course of treatment a patient is pursuing.
To learn more about TGCT, visit our TGCT Learning Center here.
