Primary intraosseous carcinoma of the mandible: a case report

A case of primary intraosseous carcinoma of the mandible in a 75-year-old m an is reported. This tumor is an uncommon lesion arising from odontogenic r ests. This tumor affects men more than women and is more frequent in the si xth and seventh decades of age. Most tumors occur in the posterior mandible as painful, non-ulcerated lesions, even if several cases have shown comple te absence of subjective symptoms in early phases; often they are detected first on routine radiographs. Radiographically the lesion usually shows a f ully enclosed, irregular pattern of bone destruction, even if sometimes the margins are well defined. The accepted treatment is radical surgery; but m etastases could occur in lymph nodes. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All ri ghts reserved.