Carcinoma arising in a dentigerous cyst with neck metastasis.

Abstract

Squamous cell carcinoma arising in a dentigerous cyst is extremely uncommon. The diagnosis of carcinoma arising in a dentigerous cyst requires microscopically that an area of benign cystic epithelium is observed to transition into squamous cell carcinoma. In the present case, the patient was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the neck with an unknown primary. The primary site was found to be the follicular space associated with the right mandibular third molar. Light microscopic studies were performed to arrive at the final diagnosis. Transition of the epithelial lining of the dentigerous cyst to squamous cell carcinoma was observed in multiple fields. The present case demonstrates that odontogenic cysts have to be considered a possible source of metastatic disease.