Carcinoma ameloblástico de mandíbula

the term ameloblastic carcinoma is used to describe the ameloblastomas with histological characteristics of malignancy. this type of lesion may to occur in any age, but it may be more frequent observed in the fourth decade of life. the is not apparently a predominance sexual. the commonest involved area is the posterior portion of mandible involving in less extent the maxillary. this is a tumor with few cases mentioned in the literature, thus, the aim of present paper was to present a case of ameloblastic carcinoma in a female patient aged 38 came to consultation due to painful symptoms and facial asymmetry. in intrabuccal clinical examination it was noted a volume increase in the right posterior region of mandible. the computed tomography showed a slimming of the cortex with presence of a homogenous hypo-dense area. an incisional biopsy was made and its initial histological diagnosis was an ameloblastoma without histological characteristics of malignancy. after histopathological examination the surgical treatment of lesion was prescribed with a partial resection of mandible. the surgical structure (sample) was sent to laboratory to obtain a new diagnosis of ameloblastic carcinoma. it is probable that the difference of final histological diagnosis with the initial one could be related to the fact that the ameloblastic carcinoma has focal areas similar to ameloblastoma. after 6 months of surgical procedure the patient had tumoral lung metastasis and is under medical supervision.