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. 2024 Mar;53(3):174-181.
doi: 10.1111/jop.13517. Epub 2024 Feb 18.

Ameloblastic carcinoma: A systematic review

Liam Robinson  1   2 , Lucas Guimarães Abreu  3 , Felipe Paiva Fonseca  1   4 , Keith D Hunter  1   2   5 , Melvin A Ambele  1 , Willie F P van Heerden  1   2
Affiliations

Ameloblastic carcinoma: A systematic review

Liam Robinson et al. J Oral Pathol Med. 2024 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Ameloblastic carcinoma (AC) is the most common odontogenic malignancy, constituting approximately 30% of cases in this category. Literature is sparse on malignant odontogenic neoplasms, with a large proportion of current knowledge derived from case reports or small case series.

Methods: A systematic review of case series/case reports of AC was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) Statement guidelines. Demographic and clinical information, including duration of the lesion, location, clinical presentation and radiologic features, were analysed. Additionally, the origin of the lesion (primary/secondary), Ki-67 proliferation index, treatment performed, metastasis, tumour recurrence and prognosis were collected for analysis.

Results: A total of 126 studies, including 285 individual cases of AC, were included in this review. Patients presented with a near-equal distribution of painless and painful swellings. ACs presented at a median age of 45 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:2. The mandible was most frequently involved, with rare cases extending to involve more than one region, including crossing the midline. Although most lesions presented with poorly-demarcated borders (52.6%), unilocular lesions with well-demarcated borders (47.4%) comprised a substantial number in the sample. The proliferation index was only reported in 27 cases, with a mean score of 42% and a wide range. The probability of tumour recurrence increased, and the survival probability decreased with prolonged follow-up duration.

Conclusion: This study provides more comprehensive, up-to-date descriptive data on these rare odontogenic malignancies, aiding clinicians and Pathologists with the diagnosis and surgeons in their management of cases.

Keywords: ameloblastic carcinoma; head and neck cancer; odontogenic neoplasms; recurrence rates; survival probability.

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References

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