title: Central Cemento-Ossifying Fibroma: Primary Odontogenic or Osseous Neoplasm?
abstract: Currently, central cemento-ossifying fibroma is classified by the World Health Organization as a primary bone-forming tumor of the jaws. However, histopathologically, it is often indistinguishable from cemento-osseous dysplasias in that it forms osteoid and cementicles (cementum droplets) in varying proportions. It is believed that pluripotent cells within the periodontal membrane can be stimulated to produce either osteoid or woven bone and cementicles when stimulated. If this is true, cemento-ossifying fibroma would be better classified as a primary odontogenic neoplasm arising from the periodontal ligament. Cemento-ossifying fibromas also do not occur in the long bones. The present report compares several entities that fall within the diagnostic realm of benign fibro-osseous lesions and reviews the evidence for reclassifying central cemento-ossifying fibroma as a primary odontogenic neoplasm.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA; Chief, Clinical Affairs, Division of Oral Medicine and Dentistry and Consultant Pathologist, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Electronic address: swoo@partners.org.
authors.forename: Sook-Bin
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Woo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001857:Bone Matrix / Q000473:pathology; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002485:Cementoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D003739:Dental Cementum / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000473:pathology; D005357:Fibrous Dysplasia of Bone / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007573:Jaw Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009805:Odontogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D009808:Odontogenic Tumors / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D010519:Periodontium / Q000166:cytology; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult