Ameloblastic carcinoma ex ameloblastoma of the mandible with malignancy-associated hypercalcemia

Ameloblastoma is a rare, locally destructive, benign neoplasm of the jawbon es, which arises from epithelium derived from the epithelial components of the developing tooth. Ameloblastic carcinoma is the term used to designate any ameloblastoma in which there is histologic evidence of malignancy in th e primary tumor, regardless of whether it has metastasized. Most ameloblast ic carcinomas are presumed to have arisen de novo, with few cases of malign ant transformation of ameloblastoma. being apparent. Hypercalcemia is the m ost common metabolic complication of malignancy. Although malignancy-associ ated hypercalcemia is often reported in association with other malignancies , it is exceedingly unusual in association with ameloblastoma, malignant am eloblastoma, or amelobtaslic carcinoma. We describe a patient with multiple recurrences of ameloblastoma, with subsequent malignant transformation pre senting with malignancy-associated hypercalcemia.