Ameloblastoma: Report of Two Cases and a Brief Literature Review

Abstract

Ameloblastoma is an uncommon odontogenic neoplasm that accounts for approximately 10% of all tumors originating from gnathic bones. Although its growth is localized, the tumor can also be infiltrative and persistent; however, its behavior is usually benign. The mandible is the most commonly affected site, and ameloblastoma is most frequently diagnosed between the fourth and fifth decades of life. In addition to a brief review of the literature, the present study discusses the clinical, imaging, histopathological and prognostic characteristics of these tumors by presenting two case reports. In these cases, the patients were aged 40 and 66 years, of different sexes and ethnicities and presented with the same complaint regarding localized and asymptomatic swelling. Both cases occurred in the posterior region (but on opposite sides) of the mandible. The patients were initially subjected to clinical examination and imaging of the face, followed by incisional biopsy to confirm (in both cases) the diagnosis of multicystic intraosseous ameloblastoma with a plexiform pattern. Both patients were treated by wide resection of the lesion (with safety margins), and only one patient experienced tumor recurrence. After 42 and 68 months of follow-up, the patients are still alive and show no signs of recurrence. Clinical and imaging findings aid in the differential diagnosis of ameloblastomas; however, histopathological evaluation is essential for its definitive diagnosis. Early diagnosis and precise detection of the borders to provide adequate safety margins during the surgical resection of the tumor are necessary to achieve successful treatment and recurrence-free survival for solid ameloblastomas.

Orbital invasion of ameloblastoma: A systematic review apropos of a rare entity

“… 2 , 3 In the United States, ameloblastoma accounts for 1% of all tumors/cysts of jaw, 1% of all head and neck neoplasms, and 10% of all tumors arising from mandible or maxilla. 1 , 30 , 31 It accounts for 9–11% of all odontogenic tumors with an incidence rate of 0.5 cases per-million. 5 …”

“…Hence, the prognosis of orbital ameloblastomas in line with tumors involving skull base seems to be the worst. 16 , 31 , 36 , 37 , 45 …”

A combination of follicular and plexiform ameloblastoma: A rare case report

“…Uncommon variants include desmoplastic, basal cell, clear-cell ameloblastoma, keratoameloblastoma, and papilliferous ameloblastoma. [ 2 ]…”

Immunohistochemical expression of osteonectin, matrix metalloproteinases-9 and Ki-67 in ameloblastoma

“…Ameloblastomas (AMs) are benign, slow-growing, aggressive neoplasms of epithelial origin mainly affecting the posterior mandibular region, with a poorly understood potential for rare metastasis. [12] The relative frequency of AM ranged from 11% to 92%, and it was noted to be 60% among odontogenic tumors, in the Indian scenario. [34] The clinical, radiological and histological features of this neoplasm have been well characterized.…”