Keratocystic odontogenic tumor surgical management: Retrospective analysis on 77 patients

In 2005 the WHO introduced the former odontogenic keratocyst to the category of benign odontogenic tumours. The change in terminology was based on the observation that the odontogenic keratocyst behaves as a neoplasm and not like a benign cystic lesion. The present paper is a retrospective analysis on the management of keratocystic odontogenic tumor over a period of 11 years (2001-2012) in the Department of Maxillo-Facial Surgery at the University of Rome "Sapienza", with particular focus on the surgical choices and the relative rates of relapse. The patient population consisted of 34 females and 43 males. Administered treatment modalities consisted of enucleation in 55 cases and radical resection in 22 cases. Nineteen percent of patients who underwent enucleation suffered KCOT relapse. No relapse was observed in the radical resection group with follow-up of 3-7 years. The goals of the treatment include elimination of the pathology and decrease of potential recurrence while minimizing harm to the patient. In the Authors' experience, conservative treatment still encompasses a high rate of recurrence; otherwise, resection provides the lowest recurrence rate, yet causes the most suffering to the patient. The issue surgeons encounter is whether to choose a conservative approach, reducing the morbidity to the patient, knowing that several operations may be required to eliminate recurrence; or being more aggressive and potentially more destructive, at the same time ensuring the best condition to avoid recurrence. Other studies are needed in order to find definitive guidelines for this challenging pathology.