Solid ameloblastomas - Retrospective clinical and histopathologic study of 54 cases

Area of Science:

• Oral pathology
• Histopathology
• Oncology

Background:

• The World Health Organization (WHO) recently reclassified desmoplastic ameloblastoma as a distinct variant, separating it from solid ameloblastomas.
• This reclassification impacts the understanding and diagnosis of ameloblastomas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a retrospective analysis of clinicopathologic features in a series of solid ameloblastoma cases.
• To investigate the presence of desmoplastic patterns within conventional solid ameloblastomas.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional cohort study design was employed.
• Clinicopathologic data from 54 patient records were analyzed.
• Histological sections were reviewed to identify and classify patterns according to established criteria (Waldron and El-Mofty, 1987; WHO 2005).

Main Results:

• Of 54 cases, 49 were classified as solid ameloblastomas, with the mandible being the most common site (98.1%).
• Follicular (77.6%), acanthomatous (69.4%), and plexiform (65.3%) patterns were most frequent in solid ameloblastomas.
• Focal areas of desmoplastic ameloblastoma were identified in 22.4% of solid ameloblastoma cases.

Conclusions:

• The study indicates that desmoplastic ameloblastoma, while classified as a distinct variant, frequently co-occurs focally with conventional solid ameloblastomas.
• This finding suggests a potential overlap or relationship between these histopathological patterns.