Clinicopathological analysis of histological variants of ameloblastoma in a suburban Nigerian population

Clinico-pathologic data on a total of 77 histologically diagnosed cases of ameloblastoma archieved at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife over a 15 year period were obtained and analysed descriptively.Follicular ameloblastoma was the most common histological type (50 cases, 64.9%), followed by plexiform ameloblastoma (10 cases, 13.0%). 4 (5.2%) cases of desmoplastic and 3 (3.9%) cases of acanthomatous ameloblastoma were seen while the basal cell variant accounted for 2 (2.6%) cases. Only 1 case of the unicystic type was seen. Some of the 77 cases presented as a mixture of two or more histological types. Ameloblastoma occurred over an age range of 11 to 70 years with a peak age incidence in the 3rd decade.This study provides a baseline data on variants of ameloblastoma as obtained in a suburban Nigerian population. Since variants of ameloblastoma differ in biologic behaviour, the data collected in this study provides clinicopathologic information which is of significance to the pathologist and clinician.Ameloblastoma is a neoplasm of odontogenic epithelium, especially of enamel organ-type tissue that has not undergone differentiation to the point of hard tissue formation [1]. It generally occurs in bone, and it has been postulated that the epithelium of origin is derived from one of the following sources: (1) cell rests of the enamel organ, (2) epithelium of odontogenic cysts, (3) disturbances of the developing enamel organ, (4) basal cells of the surface epithelium or (5) heterotropic epithelium in other parts of the body [2]. The theory of an odontogenic origin for the ameloblastoma is supported clinically by the tumour's common occurrence in the tooth bearing area and is further reinforced by the finding of Spouge that one in every three such tumours are mural proliferations in intimate association with the reduced anamel-forming epithelium of dentigerous cysts [3].In the World Health Organisation (WHO) histological typing of odontoge