title: Ghost cell odontogenic carcinoma arising in the background of a benign calcifying cystic odontogenic tumor of the mandible.
abstract: Ghost cell odontogenic carcinoma (GCOC) is a rare malignant variant of odontogenic tumor with ghost cells; only 29 cases are documented. Our patient was a 68-year-old man with a painless, well-defined, radiolucent swelling of the mandibular gingiva in the right incisor-to-molar region. It was diagnosed as a benign calcifying cystic odontogenic tumor (CCOT) on fenestration biopsy. Eighteen years later, he returned with swelling in the same area. The lesion was excised, diagnosed as GCOC, and considered a secondary malignant manifestation of the benign CCOT. No adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy was administered, and his postoperative course was uneventful for 48 months, with no recurrence or distant metastasis. Among the 30 reported cases of GCOC, the mean age at diagnosis was 40.3 years, 22 (73%) involved the maxilla. Twelve (40%) were secondary malignant manifestations of benign CCOTs or dentinogenic ghost cell tumors. Five patients died of recurrence or distant metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan.
authors.forename: Takaroni
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arashiyama
authors.forename: Yasumitsu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hoshina
authors.forename: Ritsuo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saku
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005887:Gingival Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008339:Mandibular Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009808:Odontogenic Tumors / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology