王宇鸣　韦峰　刘忠军

Giant cell tumors ( GCT ) are benign but locally aggressive with a relatively high recurrence rate. Some previous literatures about GCT reported that the postoperative recurrence rate varied in different age groups of patients and indicated that age might be an important factor affecting the biological behaviour and prognosis of GCT. However, the previous studies mainly focused on the cases of GCT of the whole body, and the relationship between age and prognosis of GCT of the spine was not clearly illustrated. GCT of the spine are relatively rare. So far, there has been no large series of cases documented. The existing small series of cases report about GCT of the spine at home and abroad were reviewed in this article and the effects of age on the prognosis of GCT of the spine were analyzed, including the postoperative recurrence rate, iconography, pathology and micro cytokines. According to the existing literatures, the recurrence rate in young patients is relatively low. Tumors in young patients are less likely to invade more than one vertebral level or to involve both the anterior and posterior structures of the vertebral body. Histologically, cellular atypia and mitosis are less common in spindle-like stromal cells of youth patients. As to the cytokines, the ratios of serum ligand of receptor activator of NF-κB ( RANKL ) and osteoprotegerin ( OPG ) are lower in young patients. It is indicated that age appears to be associated with the recurrence rate of GCT of the spine. Young patients tend to have a better prognosis. However, larger series of cases report are needed to demonstrate this conclusion in the future.