Advanced central myxoma of the jaws in Nigeria. Clinical features, treatment and pathogenesis

18 advanced cases of myxoma of the jaws are described. These had a typical age, sex and site distribution and characteristic clinical and radiographic features. Surgical treatment was radical as benefits large, poorly defined tumours, but there was no evidence that these were aggressive lesions. It is argued that the designation of myxoma as an odontogenic tumour is uncertain though not excluded. Attention is drawn to evidence that many myxomas of the jaws may be examples of myxomatous degeneration in other neoplasms.