Ameloblastic carcinoma explained

Ameloblastic carcinoma
Field:	Oncology

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.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Ameloblastic Carcinoma - NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders). 2015-09-22.
2. Hari Ram . Ameloblastic Carcinoma . J Maxillofac Oral Surg . 9 . 4 . 415–419 . December 2010 . 22190836 . 10.1007/s12663-010-0169-6. 3177477 .
3. Kelly Landeen . A Rare Presentation of Ameloblastic Carcinoma of the Sinus Cavity and Skull Base . Cureus . December 2019 . 11 . 12 . e6265 . 10.7759/cureus.6265. 31903302 . 6937462 . free .
4. Book: 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 . 411–456 . 10.1016/B978-0-323-55225-7.00015-4 . 9780323552257 . 239442287 .
5. Web site: Ameloblastic Carcinoma - NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders). 2020-12-07.
6. P A Reichart. March 1995. Ameloblastoma: biological profile of 3677 cases. Eur J Cancer B. 31B. 2. 86–99. 10.1016/0964-1955(94)00037-5. 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. 10.5114/pjp.2018.79544. 1233-9687. 30509051. free.