Have you suddenly become aware of a bulging or lumpy area in your thumb that doesn’t hurt?
And it’s gotten bigger over time?
This can be a tumor, and it will not go away without surgery.
If you’ve noticed a large growing mass on your thumb or another finger, you need to see your physician to get a proper diagnosis. Even if it’s painless, this is not something you should ignore.
My sister began noticing a lump on her thumb. It was painless. But lumps that are growing in size should not be on our fingers. She went to her doctor to get this checked out.
The diagnosis? Giant cell tumor. This is also known as tenosynovial giant cell tumor.
The above image is of my sister’s thumb prior to her surgery.
These rare growths usually arise near a joint at the end of a bone.
This can occur in the knee, arm, leg, pelvis and sternum (breastbone) – and also the fingers and thumb.
Cause of a giant cell tumor?
The exact cause of a giant cell tumor in the thumb, or any other part of the body for that matter, is not fully understood.
There’s nothing my sister did to cause the growth.
GCTs are believed to involve abnormal growth of the cells that line the bone’s surface, particularly osteoclast-like giant cells — hence the name of this odd condition.
Genetic mutations have been linked to their development in some cases, but these mutations are not well-defined for every instance.
While rare, a giant cell tumor can be more common in young adults (my sister is middle age), and they often occur in the long bones, such as the hands or feet.
Though her GCT was painless, not all of these masses are pain-free. Some can hurt.
Surgery is the standard treatment. A GCT will not vanish on its own, and once removed, it can come back.
The good news is that these rare tumors are benign. They will never become cancerous, even if they return.
Of course, my sister had hers removed surgically; below is the bandage.
Do not let the extensiveness of the wrapping unnerve you.
A thick extensive bandage helps ensure optimal healing of a joint that was just operated on.
It helps stabilize the joint and provides the necessary compression to reduce swelling, support healing tissues and prevent any movement that could disrupt the surgical site.
This kind of bandage also protects the area from external contaminants and helps promote circulation, which is crucial for healing.
UPDATE 1
My sister’s thumb after stitch removal is shown below. The shape of it looks practically normal.
UPDATE 2
As you can see below, the thumb is looking really good, as though the giant cell tumor were never there to begin with.
There are no lingering signs of the giant cell tumor or residual effects of the surgery.
In fact, she plays pickleball on a regular basis without any problem.
