title: A retrospective study of 21 cases of malignant odontogenic tumours from two tertiary health centres in Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malignant odontogenic tumours (MOTs) are relatively rare tumours and only few cases have been reported in the sub-Sahara African literature. The aim of this study was to describe the demographic distribution of malignant odontogenic tumours in two tertiary health centres based on the current WHO 2005 classification scheme.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed 21 malignant odontogenic tumours out of a total of 374 odontogenic tumours from two Tertiary Health Centres. Information regarding histology, location, patients age and gender for MOTs were analysed using SPSS for Windows (version 20.0; SPSS Inc. Chicago, IL).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty one (5.6%) MOTs out of a total of 374 odontogenic tumours were seen from the two institutions over the study period. The median age for MOTs was 42.0 (± 19.0) years (range = 16-66 years). The male: female ratio was 2.5:1 and 85.7% occurred in the mandible. Ameloblastic carcinoma (AC) with 13 (61.9%) cases was the most common MOT. AC had a mean age of 37.5 (± 11.9) years. AC had a mandible: maxilla ratio of 5.5:1 with majority (84.6%) occurring in the posterior mandible.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that MOTs are rare lesions. AC was the most common MOT and majority of MOTs occurred in the posterior mandible of male patients. The study helps to better elucidate the demography of MOTs in sub-Sahara Africans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Ahmed Oluwatoyin
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Lawal
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Maxillo-facial Surgery and Oral Pathology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Olujide Oladele
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Soyele
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Akindayo Olufunto
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Akinyamoju
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000564:Ameloblastoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008339:Mandibular Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008441:Maxillary Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D009808:Odontogenic Tumors / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Malignant odontogenic tumours; ameloblastic carcinoma; ameloblastic fibrosarcoma.