Keratocystic odontogenic tumour: an experience in the Northeast of Brazil.

INTRODUCTION Keratocystic odontogenic tumours raise particular interest, because of their high recurrence rate and association with nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome. OBJECTIVE To analyze the clinical and histopathological features of all cases diagnosed as keratocystic odontogenic tumour in a Brazilian population. METHODS A total of 64 keratocystic odontogenic tumours, arising in forty-six patients, were evaluated using the following parameters: association with nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, gender, age at first diagnosis, race, anatomical location, symptoms, radiographic features, history of recurrence, association with teeth, and treatment. RESULTS Keratocystic odontogenic tumours were more frequent among women than men (1:0.84). The mean patient age was 31.5 years (SD: +/- 16.6). Ten tumours (16.4%) involved the maxilla and 51 (83.6%) the mandible. Swelling (n = 12; 46.1%), followed by pain and swelling (n = 4; 15.3%), were most common clinical manifestations. A unilocular radiotransparency with well-defined margins was the main radiographic finding (n = 29; 87.8%). A significant association was observed between the multilocular radiographic pattern and recurrence (p < 0.05, Fisher's Test). Sixty-one (95.3%) tumours were treated by surgical enucleation followed by bone curettage, and the recurrence rate was 13% (n = 6). This study showed that the keratocystic odontogenic tumours relapsed within a mean period of 25-36 months. CONCLUSION Despite the results of this study being similar to previous reports found in the literature, it provides an important insight about keratocystic odontogenic tumours in a Brazilian population.