Ameloblastic Carcinoma of the Mandible: a Rare Case Report

Abstract

Ameloblastic carcinoma is characterized by rapid, painful expansion of the jaw, unlike conventional ameloblastoma. The tumor most frequently involves the mandible. The expanding lesion causes perforation of buccal and lingual plates of the jaw and invades the surrounding soft tissue. Rapidly growing large tumor mass may cause tooth mobility. Mandibular tumor involving mental nerve leads to the paresthesia of the nerve. Maxillary tumor can produce fistula in the palate and paresthesia of infraorbital nerve. Although rare, these lesions have been known to metastasize mostly to the regional lymph nodes or lungs. Because the lesion is usually found unexpectedly after an incisional biopsy or the removal of a cyst, a guide to the differential diagnosis is usually not useful. The tumor cells resemble the cells seen in ameloblastoma, but they show cytologic atypia. Moreover, they lack the characteristic arrangement seen in ameloblastoma. Direct extensions of the tumor, lymph node involvement have been reported. A case of ameloblastic carcinoma in a 60 year old man of typical aggressiveness and extensive local destruction is reported here and its clinical, radiographical and histological features are discussed.