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 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. The cause is not known.
Though my sister’s 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.
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.
UPDATE 1
My sister’s thumb after stitch removal is shown below.
UPDATE 2
