giant keratocystic odontogenic tumor: three cases and a literature review

introduction: a keratocystic odontogenic tumor is a benign intra-bone mass originating from dental lamina or its residue. it represents 2–11% of jaw cysts, and has a slow but aggressive growth. the evaluation of molecular characteristics, immunohistochemistry, and genetic expression currently have no established classification regarding the evolution and pathophysiologic pattern of these lesions.   materials and methods: this is a clinical retrospective study with a full analysis of patient history regarding physical evaluation, radiologic images, pathology results, and surgical resection. we performed a major literature review concerning current concepts relating to its biological characterization.   results: three cases of keratocystic odontogenic tumor were identified. two of the cases were large, with aggressive behavior and significant bone destruction and recurrence, which had been overlooked for more than a decade. the third case had an early diagnosis, and the treatment led to full recovery and complete healing. conclusion:  the keratocystic odontogenic tumor is a benign lesion with slow growth, which lends itself to a more conservative treatment, even in cases of large lesions. a better understanding of these tumors, both at the biological and molecular level, could lead to guidelines for treatment and prognosis of such patients.