title: Bisphosphonate therapy is effective in the treatment of sacral giant cell tumor.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sacral giant cell tumors are particularly challenging to treat as they are often quite extensive and surround the sacral nerve roots, making surgical extirpation very difficult without high morbidity and frequent local recurrence.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report on a 33-year old male patient with sacral giant cell tumor treated with intravenous bisphosphonate therapy after early failure of embolization procedures. At 3 years follow-up, the patient had no pain, no neurological deficits, and no local recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, this is one of the first reported cases of bisphosphonate therapy after failed embolization for control of a difficult giant cell tumor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical Center, Syracuse, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Preeti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chaudhary
authors.forename: Haider
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khadim
authors.forename: Ajeet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gajra
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Damron
authors.forename: Chirag
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018212:Giant Cell Tumor of Bone / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012447:Sacrum; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D004164:Diphosphonates