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The successful therapeutic use of calcitonin in patients with a central giant cell granuloma has been shown in several case reports. In a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 14 patients with a histologically confirmed central giant cell granuloma and normal calcium and parathyroid hormone serum levels were studied over 2 years. Patients were treated with intranasally administered salmon calcitonin (200 IU/day) or a placebo once a day. The placebo-controlled period was 3 months, after which all patients were treated with calcitonin for 1 year. Treatment response was assessed at the end of the placebo-controlled study phase (3 months), at the end of therapy (15 months' timepoint with patients being on calcitonin treatment for either 12 or 15 months) and at 6 months' follow-up. The chi(2)-test was used to compare the proportion of patients with a tumour reduction >/=10% of the pretreatment measurement between the 2 populations at the 3 timepoints: no differences were observed between the placebo group and the calcitonin group. At the 6-month follow-up timepoint, tumour volume had decreased by >/=10% in a total of 7 patients with a 37.9% (95% CI 31.3-44.5%) mean volume reduction in this subgroup. Complete remission was not observed.

Giant cell granuloma of the jaw is a benign lesion that may cause local destruction of bone and displacement of teeth. The common therapy is curettage or resection, which may be associated with loss of teeth and, in younger patients, loss of dental germs. An alternative treatment has recently been introduced, in which patients receive a daily dose of calcitonin. Four patients who have been treated with calcitonin in various concentrations for at least 1 year are reported. In all patients, complete remission of the giant cell granuloma was observed, without signs of recurrence. The working mechanism of calcitonin is discussed, as are length of treatment and optimal dose.