AMELOBLASTOMA: ANALYSIS OF 76 CASES FROM A UNIVERSITY-BASED BIOPSY SERVICE IN SAUDI ARABIA.

Ameloblastoma is the most clinically significant odontogenic tumor. There has been no previous comprehensive report from Saudi Arabia about the presentation and prevalence of the tumor. This study aimed to describe the cases of ameloblastoma seen in a biopsy service of a teaching hospital in Saudi Arabia over a 32 year period. The records and archival material of the patients seen during this period were examined and evaluated with emphasis on age and gender distribution and the location of the tumor. Classification of the variants was based on that outlined by the World health Organization (WHO). Seventy six cases were available for this study. Most cases of ameloblastoma were seen during the second and third decades and found to be more common in males in this study (M:F ratio of 2:1). The most common location of the tumor on the jaws was the mandible (92% of cases), particularly on posterior mandible. The most common variant was the solid/multicystic type (65%), followed by the unicystic variant (33%). Peripheral and desmoplastic ameloblastoma were very rare. Apart from high number of unicystic ameloblastoma, the general presentation of ameloblastoma in this Saudi Arabian institution is similar to those reported in various parts of the world in terms of demographic and clinical features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]