Primary intraosseous carcinoma arising in a dentigerous cyst: A case report

Abstract

Dentigerous cysts are among the most common cysts of the jaw. They are attached to the crown of an unerupted tooth, most frequently third molars and maxillary canines. They are often asymptomatic and may therefore be diagnosed late. We report a case of a primary intraosseous carcinoma arising from the wall of a dentigerous cyst and describe the expression of typical genes associated with tumour growth and prognosis. The tumour expressed cytokeratins (CK) 5/6, 8, 14 and 19, but not CK7. Ki-67 and P53 were upregulated in dysplastic epithelium and tumour tissue. Although rare, the possibility for tumour development in the wall of a common cyst should be considered. The case emphasizes the importance of histopathological examination of surgical specimens, even if the clinical diagnosis seems obvious.