Chondrosarcomas are malignant tumours of cartilaginous origin. They range from a well-differentiated growth resembling a benign cartilage tumour to a high-grade malignancy with aggressive local behaviour and the potential to metastasize. Only 5% to 10% of chondrosarcomas are known to occur in the head and neck region. A case of chondrosarcoma of the anterior region of the mandible is presented, along with a review of the relevant literature.
Desmoid tumor of the mandible, or desmoplastic fibroma, is a rare disease with only a few cases reported in the literature. This paper presents the rare case of an elderly male with desmoplastic fibroma of the mandible with an uncommon accompanying proliferative myositis. The case is discussed with emphasis on the clinical presentation, differential diagnosis and treatment of this lesion.
This is a case report of a recurrent lesion diagnosed histologically as a unicystic ameloblastoma. The concomitant presence of a traumatic neuroma was observed within the wall of the recurrent lesion. The mode of development of the traumatic neuroma, and the reason for the recurrence were presented.
Plexiform granular cell odontogenic tumor of the mandible has recently been described. The cardinal histopathologic feature, as its name suggests, is a monophasic plexiform pattern of granular cells; the principal tumor in the differential diagnosis is granular cell ameloblastoma. Unlike the two previously reported cases of plexiform granular cell odontogenic tumor, which occurred as solid tumors in elderly men, the lesion reported here is a unicystic variant occurring in a middle-aged woman.
Transmigration is the migration of a tooth across the midline of the jaw. This phenomenon is found only in relation to the permanent mandibular canines. Two cases are reported. In both, the cause of this deviation was an odontome found in the site normally occupied by the mandibular canine. The literature on transmigration is reviewed.
Granular cell ameloblastomas are uncommon lesions accounting for about 3-5% of all histologic subtypes of ameloblastoma. The plexiform granular cell odontogenic tumour, on the other hand, is a newly described lesion characterised by a monophasic plexiform pattern of granular cells. This article reports a tumour found occurring in the left mandible of a 67-year-old Indian male which histologically showed features of both the aforementioned lesions.
Osteoma is a benign tumour consisting of mature bone tissue. It is an uncommon lesion that occurs mainly in the bones of the craniofacial complex. Only a few cases involving the condylar process have been reported. An osteoma of the left condyle causing limited mouth-opening in a 32-year-old Malaysian Chinese female is reported here to alert the practitioner to consider this lesion as a diagnostic possibility in instances of trismus or limited-mouth opening.
Calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor (CEOT) is a rare, benign, locally aggressive odontogenic epithelial tumor that affects the jaws. Although there are numerous reports on the variants of CEOT, occurrence of clear cells with complete absence of calcification has been a rarity. Histochemical analysis of tumor cells revealed glycogen granules with PAS staining, with absence of CD 1a staining in clear cells, while the amyloid-like deposit associated with clear cells showed green birefringence with Congo red. We report an unusual variant of CEOT occurring in a 27 years old male patient.
The term Unicystic Ameloblastoma (UA) refers to those cystic lesions that show clinical and radiological characteristics of an odontogenic cyst but on histological examination show a typical ameloblastomatous epithelium lining part of the cyst cavity, with or without luminal and/or mural tumor growth. Till date, lot of controversies exist among oral surgeons and oral pathologists regarding this entity. An attempt is being made here to discuss all the diagnostic dilemmas associated with UA.
Seventeen cases are reported of desmoplastic variant of ameloblastoma of the jaws observed during the years 1967-1991. There were 12 females and 5 males, and these consisted of 7 Chinese, 6 Malays, 2 Indians, 1 Sikh and 1 Kadazan. Their ages at diagnosis ranged from 21-60 years with a mean of 36.6 years. There were 10 mandibular and 7 maxillary tumours. Of these, 14 cases involved the anterior segment with extension to the premolar region in 5 cases. 60% of cases were radiologically suggestive of fibro-osseous lesions. The main mode of treatment was resection and 1 case presented with recurrence. The findings of this study were compared with those of previous reports.
A case of unicystic ameloblastoma which recurred after 15 years showing unusual histological features is reported. The prominent pseudo-glandular features present are described. This case highlights the importance of extensive histological examination for more characteristic features of ameloblastoma to reach a correct diagnosis.
A case is described of ameloblastoma of the mandible presenting with multiple recurrences and subsequent extension to the maxilla with resultant transformation into an aggressive (malignant?) epithelial odontogenic ghost cell tumour. The latter is a rare, biologically virulent entity that affects mainly males, exhibits a preference for the maxilla and is histologically characterized by atypical malignant odontogenic epithelium associated with areas of ghost cell formation and varying amounts of dentinoid.
This report details a case of mandibular peripheral ameloblastoma having a clear cell component. The latter consisted of ovoid cells with vacuolated or clear cytoplasm and vesicular or pyknotic nuclei that may be disposed as discrete clusters or show direct transition from typical acanthomatous areas. Comparison of this lesion with other odontogenic and nonodontogenic tumors that contain clear cells is discussed in the context of the differential diagnosis.
This article consists of two selected case reports of a recently named odontogenic tumour, unicystic ameloblastoma. The clinical and radiographic findings of the two cases mimic that of odontogenic cysts but not dentigerous cysts as in most reported, cases. Histologically, either a normal or ameloblastomatous cyst lining is evident. Other features of ameloblastoma are present within the cyst wall or as luminal nodules within the cystic space. A review of the literature indicates that this is a non-aggressive tumour with a low recurrence rate.
Burkitt's lymphoma is a tumour that most often affects the jaws, especially in endemic areas of Africa. In non-endemic areas, the jaws are affected in about 15-18% of cases. A case is presented which demonstrates the significance of jaw lesions in the disease. The history and pathogenesis of the disease also are discussed.
Osteosarcomas are highly malignant neoplasms of bone that are challenging to diagnose. These neoplasms often show atypical behavior. In the initial phase they may present as nondescript bony swellings with an indolent growth rate, only to become overtly aggressive and malignant towards the later phase of the disease. Similarly, the histological growth pattern of this neoplasm can be quite diverse, presenting with areas that mimic benign myofibroblastic tumors, giant cell granulomatous conditions and partial encapsulation. The final diagnosis of an osteosarcoma is often reached after thorough sampling and examination of multiple biopsy specimens. All these clinical features and histological diagnostic difficulties were encountered in a case of osteosarcoma affecting the right mandible of a 62-year-old Chinese woman described here. The diagnostic lessons accrued from this case are discussed.
A study was made of the clinical statistics of odontogenic cysts treated at two hospitals in West Malaysia over a 6-year period. The general incidence of the individual cyst-types is similar to that reported in previous studies. A marked difference in the age distribution of radicular cysts emerged and 80% of the residual cysts in the survey occurred amongst the Chinese population. Reasons for the distribution variation are discussed.
A 51-year-old woman a known case of stage 2 breast carcinoma in 2006 and underwent left mastectomy performed in the same year presented with bilateral lower limb pain suggestive of spinal pathology, and left chin numbness, both of 2 weeks' duration. Examination revealed left mandibular hypoesthesia without any other sign or symptoms. Orthopantomogram was unremarkable apart from mild alveolar bone expansion at tooth 36 area, which was extracted 3 months earlier. Subsequently, a full-body positron emission tomography contrast enhanced computer tomography revealed hypermetabolic lesions of her axial (excluding skull) and appendicular skeleton. In the head and neck region, left mandibular foramen and oropharynx bilaterally showed increased metabolism suggestive of tumour metastasis. The diagnosis was numb chin syndrome secondary to mandibular metastasis. Apart from supportive treatment, she was started on palliative chemotherapy and radiotherapy. At the time of discharge, there were no active complaints other than the aforementioned hypoesthesia.
In the recent World Health Organization classification of odontogenic tumours, desmoplastic ameloblastoma has been characterized as a variant of ameloblastoma, with specific clinical, radiographical, and histological features. Till date, 145 cases have been reported in Japanese, Chinese, Malaysian, Western, and African populations, with very few cases described in Indians. Here, we report five cases in the Indian population. The male to female ratio was 3:2. The mean age at diagnosis was 33.2 years. Four of the tumours were located in the maxilla, in the anterior premolar region. The lone mandibular tumour was located anteriorly, crossing the midline. Three of the tumours had a mixed radiologic appearance with poorly defined borders. Unilocular change was seen in one of them. Two tumours presented as unilocular radiolucencies with specks of radiopacities and well-circumscribed borders. Histologically, irregular odontogenic islands, with a stretched-out 'kite-tail' appearance, were seen in a dense desmoplastic stroma. The peripheral layer of the epithelial islands was made up of flattened cells and the inner core was made up of spindle-shaped and, in some instances, squamous-shaped cells. In two cases, odontogenic epithelium in the form of follicles, typical of solid/multicystic ameloblastoma, was seen and these were typed as 'hybrid' variants. All the cases were treated by resection.