Ameloblastic carcinoma

Ameloblastic carcinoma
SpecialtyOncology

Ameloblastic carcinoma is a rare form of malignant odontogenic tumor, that develops in the jawbones from the epithelial cells that generate the tooth enamel. It is usually treated with surgery; chemotherapy has not been proven to be effective.[1][2]

Signs and Symptoms

Common symptoms of ameloblastic carcinomas are pain and swelling either localized in the jaw or throughout the entire face, dysphagia, and trismus. Less common symptoms include ulceration, loosening of the teeth, chronic epistaxis, facial pressure, and nasal dyspnea.[3][4]

Causes

It is speculated that some cases of ameloblastic carcinoma arise from remnants of epithelial tissue left behind after the development of the teeth and related structures. Other times, it may be caused by a benign odontogenic cyst becoming malignant, or a pre-existing ameloblastoma.[5][2]

Treatment

Chemotherapy has not proven effective in treating ameloblastic carcinoma, leaving surgical removal of the tumor one of the only options.[6] Surgical resection with wide margins is the main treatment.[7]

Prognosis

Followup after surgery is important, as over 50% of recurrences occur within 5 years.[6]

References

  1. ^ "Ameloblastic Carcinoma - NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders)". Retrieved 2015-09-22.
  2. ^ a b Hari Ram (December 2010). "Ameloblastic Carcinoma". J Maxillofac Oral Surg. 9 (4): 415–419. doi:10.1007/s12663-010-0169-6. PMC 3177477. PMID 22190836.
  3. ^ Kelly Landeen (December 2019). "A Rare Presentation of Ameloblastic Carcinoma of the Sinus Cavity and Skull Base". Cureus. 11 (12): e6265. doi:10.7759/cureus.6265. PMC 6937462. PMID 31903302.
  4. ^ Brad W. Neville; Douglas D. Damm; Carl M. Allen; Angela C. Chi (2019). "Odontogenic Cysts and Tumors". Color Atlas of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases. Elsevier. pp. 411–456. doi:10.1016/B978-0-323-55225-7.00015-4. ISBN 9780323552257. S2CID 239442287.
  5. ^ "Ameloblastic Carcinoma - NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders)". Retrieved 2020-12-07.
  6. ^ a b P A Reichart (March 1995). "Ameloblastoma: biological profile of 3677 cases". Eur J Cancer B. 31B (2): 86–99. doi:10.1016/0964-1955(94)00037-5. PMID 7633291.
  7. ^ Mahmoud, Sarah Ahmed Mohamed; Amer, Hatem Wael; Mohamed, Sally Ibrahim (2018). "Primary ameloblastic carcinoma: literature review with case series". Polish Journal of Pathology. 69 (3): 243–253. doi:10.5114/pjp.2018.79544. ISSN 1233-9687. PMID 30509051.