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In a study of occurrence of tumors of the jaw seen in the University College Hospital over a 24-year period, 199 cases of histologically diagnosed ameloblastoma were found. Notable features of these lesions were extreme size at presentation and high frequency of recurrence. Ameloblastoma ranks next in frequency to fibroosseous lesions and salivary gland tumors in this community. The incidence in men exceeds that of women. The mandible was the location in over 85 percent of the cases. Six cases were suspected to have turned malignant following multiple surgical operations.

Three different forms of cancer--the Burkitt lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma and skin cancer--are discussed in their relation to geographical distribution, the possible role of viruses, and genetic predisposition. Certain general conclusions in regard to cancer follow from these discussions. It is stated firmly that cancer is not a disease but a tissue manifestation which has not only many different presentations but also many different complex causes which consequently will need many different forms of treatment. A comparison of geographical differences is of immense value.

A total of 114 tumours of the jawbones was confirmed in a survey of 204,583 surgical specimens in Chinese in the University Department of Pathology, Hong Kong from 1963-1982. Odontogenic tumours totalled 82 of which 62 per cent were ameloblastomas. Thus, odontogenic tumours, in particular ameloblastomas, are relatively common in Chinese. In the 51 cases of ameloblastoma, the mean age at presentation in females was significantly younger than in males. Pathological analysis of the ameloblastomas showed the following: (1) connection of tumour epithelium with oral mucosal epithelium suggests a better prognosis; (2) basaloid pattern in the tumour may prognostically indicate a more aggressive biological behaviour; (3) neoplastic infiltration of the grossly normal bone surrounding the tumour mass was frequent; (4) ameloblastomas not uncommonly contained cysts lined by innocuous-looking epithelium; (5) a significant proportion of ameloblastomas appeared grossly as thin-walled unilocular cysts. The implications of these findings in the diagnosis and treatment of ameloblastoma are emphasized.

Facial bone tumors seen at a specialized referral unit over the course of a decade were retrospectively reviewed. Case definitions and statistical analysis were performed in accord with the criteria established by the National Bone Tumor Registry. Two-thirds of the 110 histologically confirmed bone tumors of this region occurred in female patients. The average age at onset was 39 years. Tumor-like processes predominated (56.4%). Peripheral giant cell granulomas were the most frequent lesions followed by odontogenic tumors (19%), principally odontomas. Benign bone tumors contributed 15.4%. The least frequently represented types of facial bone tumors were primary and secondary malignancies.

The German-Austrian-Swiss working group on tumors in the maxillo-facial region (DOSAK) comprises 61 hospitals in German-speaking countries. The working group is concerned with multicentre problems of tumor documentation, tumor diagnosis and tumor therapy. DOSAK can look back on almost 20 years of work. It therefore seems appropriate to report on the organization, methods and objectives and to make previous work as well as future tasks known beyond German-speaking countries.

All the 49 jaw ameloblastomas reported to the Swedish Cancer Registry during the period 1958--1971 were re-examined, using the histopathologic criteria of odontogenic tumors adopted by WHO. Thirty-one cases (63.6%) fulfilled the criteria of simple ameloblastoma, whereas 12 cases were found to be other benign lesions and 6 to be malignant tumors other than ameloblastoma. The relationship between simple ameloblastoma, malignant ameloblastoma and other epithelial jaw tumors is discussed.

The patients reported on here were seen and treated in the Department of Oral Surgery and Pathology, Division of Dentistry, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, between September, 1969, and September, 1974. Materials for histopathologic examination came from tissues removed at biopsy or surgical excision of the lesions. Out of a total of about 200 benign and malignant lesions of the oral cavity seen during the 5-year period (all cysts excluded), twenty-nine (15 per cent) were tumors arising from the odontogenic tissues as follows: ameloblastoma, nineteen; ameloblastic fibroma, two; adrenomatoid odontogenic tumor, two; ameloblastic fibro-odontoma, one; odontoma, two; cementoma, two; and calcifying odontogenic cyst, one. The author had the privilege of seeing all the patients and examining all the biopsy and surgical specimens.

This was a study of the clinical characteristics of Odontomas (benign odontogenic tumors) discovered at the Barros Luco-Trudeau Hospital between the years 1976 and 1983 by means of the statistical method. The data which was compiled was tabulated and the values expressed as ratios. The results were compared with those published by other investigators thus showing the differences and similarities with the analyzed sample.

Burkitt's lymphoma is the commonest of the jaw tumours affecting children in some parts of the tropical Africa. In the Sudan, the tumour appears to be relatively uncommon and our study showed only 7 cases during a 5-year period from December 1975 through to December 1980. The clinical features, aetiology, histopathology and the treatment of the tumour are discussed and the literature briefly reviewed.

The records of the Cancer Registry of University College Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria, were reviewed for the incidence of adenomatoid odontogenic tumor from 1961-1982. Thirteen cases of the tumor were found. Clinical, histologic, and radiologic features of the 13 cases are reported. Many features were similar to previous reports of this tumor, but an increased ratio of males to females and preference for the mandible was observed. It is suggested that these factors may be peculiar to Nigerians. A few cases showed an unusual posterior location of tumor.

The incidence, multiple presentation and recurrence rate of aggressive cysts of the jaws is discussed, based on a study of 677 cysts in 651 patients. Cysts that are considered aggressive include: cysts in which carcinoma develops, unicystic ameloblastoma, keratocysts and calcifying odontogenic cysts. Based on literature studies and on our own material, the incidence and multiplicity of these lesions is calculated. Recommendations for treatment include careful preoperative assessment and treatment of suspicious lesions with excision of the overlying mucosa and fixation of the defect with Carnoy's solution. The cyst in which carcinoma develops should be treated as a true malignancy i.e. by resection. Long term follow-up is necessary to eliminate the possibility of recurrence.

The authors study the epidemiological conditions of the appearance of Burkitt's disease on the Ivory Coast. This condition represents 4.12% of cancers observed in this country. From a thorough study of the differences in temperature, relative humidity, vapour pressure, hours of sunlight, amount of rainfall, they were able to pick out that equatorial forest zones are more at risk than the savannah zones. The climatic conditions in the forest render intervention by a vector plausible, either directly or indirectly via malaria or other parasitic infestations.

A review of 133 cases of fibro-osseous lesions seen and treated at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, is presented. The age of patients at time of diagnosis ranged from 4 years to 68 years, although over 56 percent occurred in the first two decades of life. The maxilla was more commonly affected and there was a female preponderance in the incidence. Radical surgery was often indicated and performed because of the extent of lesions when presented. Early attempts at graft reconstructions were largely abandoned because of high failure rates. Tumor recurrences or growth cessations were not predictable as some lesions regressed after minor interventions while others grew rather rapidly following radical surgery.

Three hundred ninety-six odontomas were included in this study, with each case assigned to one of three categories using commonly accepted histologic criteria for compound and complex forms. Analysis revealed that compound odontomas were the most common type (70 percent of all cases). They were most common in the 11 to 15-year-old age-group and in the maxillary incisor area or the canine regions of either jaw. There was a nearly equal sex distribution. Complex odontomas showed similar age and sex distribution; they had a greater tendency to occur in the molar regions. Complex odontomas were also associated with unerupted teeth more often than compound odontomas. Tooth agenesis in the area of an odontoma or the impaction of a primary tooth by an odontoma occurred infrequently. This study showed that there is a correlation between the site of an odontoma and the age at which it is generally treated.

In a period of ten years 64 patients with odontogenic cystic lesions were found in 80,408 patients attending the Dental Out-Patient Department, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital, New Delhi. Two-thirds of the lesions were found in male patients and no neoplastic lesion was recorded in the maxilla. There were more periodontal cysts in the maxillary than in the mandibular incisor region. The majority of lesions were found in age groups 10-40 years.

Nine cases of primary sarcoma of the jaw seen over a period of 14 years are presented. They consisted of four osteosarcomas, three fibrosarcomas, one myxosarcoma and one Ewing's sarcoma. The treatment of choice for osteosarcomas of the mandible is hemimandibulectomy with disarticulation at the temporomandibular joint. Bone graft reconstruction from the iliac crest should be done at a second stage. Palliative maxillectomy for extensive fibrosarcoma of the maxilla served to relieve one patient of local symptoms for more than a year. Myxosarcoma, a variant of fibrosarcoma, and Ewing's sarcoma of the jaw, are very rare conditions, and since these lesions are usually very extensive radiotherapy is the treatment of choice.

Sixty-three cases of jaw tumours in Nigerian Igbos are reviewed. Burkitt's tumour, fibro-osseous lesions, ameloblastoma and carcinoma were seen in progressively older patients. The Igbos, like fellow Nigerians, suffer from ameloblastoma at relatively earlier ages than other Africans. Although the Igbos are as prone to keloid formation as other Negro peoples, it is noteworthy that this fibrous tendency was not evident in their jaw tumours. None of the tumours exhibited melanin pigment. The incidence of Burkitt's tumour appears to be lower in the easterly Igbos than in the ethnic groups living in the westerly part of Nigeria.

Twenty-one patients with osteogenic sarcoma were treated at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, during the period from 1960 to 1984. Six of the 21 patients were younger than 20 years of age, and there was a predominance of male patients in the series. The maxilla was involved more frequently than the mandible. Surgery was the only treatment available. All of the patients are presumed to be dead.