Pindborg Tumor : Treatment

Calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor (CEOT) can be locally invasive as seen in this image where sheets of tumor cells have permeated and destroyed the mandible. But it is less aggressive than ameloblastoma and has overall good prognosis. Small tumors can be enucleated, but larger lesions are usually managed by conservative local resection with a narrow rim of uninvolved bone. Tumors arising in the posterior maxilla are treated slightly more aggressively. The recurrence rate is about 15%. Curettage is not preferred due to unacceptably high rate of recurrence. Rare cases of malignant CEOT with metastases to regional lymph nodes or lung have been reported.

Image courtesy of: Simon Chiosea, MD; Dept. of Pathology, Univ. of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.