Cellular cannibalism in central and peripheral giant cell granuloma

Background Cellular cannibalism is observed in many lesions containing giant cells, including Peripheral Giant Cell Granuloma (PGCG) and Central Giant Cell Granuloma (CGCG). However, limited information exists on its role in prognosticating the behavior of these lesions. This study aimed to assess the frequency of cellular cannibalism in PGCG and CGCG of the oral cavity. Methods A total of 125 samples with complete clinical and radiographic data were included. Sections were examined under ×400 magnification. A total of 100 giant cells were analyzed per section, and the percentage of cannibalistic cells was recorded. Only giant cells in the central tumor mass were assessed, excluding those near the bone to avoid counting osteoclasts. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Statistical tests included Shapiro–Wilk, Levene’s test, Independent Samples t-test, one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s HSD post-hoc test, Generalized Linear Model (GLM), and Pearson Chi-Square. Results Of the 125 cases, 50.4% were male and 49.6% were female, with a mean age of 38.29 ± 19.18 years. Ninety-one samples were PGCG, and 34 were CGCG (11 non-aggressive, 23 aggressive). All samples showed cellular cannibalism)100%). The mean cellular cannibalism in CGCG (18.68 ± 10.09) was significantly higher than in PGCG (13.41 ± 8.22)(P-value: 0.003). Additionally, aggressive CGCG had a higher mean of cellular cannibalism than non-aggressive CGCG, though this difference was not statistically significant(P-value: 0.163). Conclusion This study suggests that cellular cannibalism may be a potential pathological indicator in evaluating the biological behavior of CGCG and PGCG.