Abstract
Keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT) is a benign intraosseous tumor with a lining of parakeratinized stratified squamous epithelium. The most important clinical feature of KCOT is its tendency to recur after surgical treatment.
In this study, we examined 63 KCOTs treated at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Nagano Red Cross Hospital from 1983 to 2010. The mean age of patients was 40 years old and there was no sexual distinction. The angle of the mandible, extending anteriorly and superiorly, was the most frequently involved region. Enucleation was performed for 59 primary tumors, and 10 recurrences were noted. No recurrence was noted in 2 lesions managed by enucleation after marsupialization, 1 lesion managed by marginal mandibulectomy, and 1 lesion managed by segmental mandibulectomy. In total, the recurrence rate was 15.9%. Many of the recurrences were found at the margins of the primary lesion in contact with the roots of teeth. The average interval until recurrence was 4 years 3 months.
Our findings indicate that more aggressive treatment is needed for KCOTs as compared with other cystic lesions and long-term follow-up is required in patients with KCOTs.
