Central mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Review of the literature and report of a case associated with an apical periodontal cyst.

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma arising centrally within the jaws is a rare lesion which exhibits considerable histologic variability and an unpredictable clinical course. Its specific pathogenesis is unknown, although speculation has centered on the pluripotential capabilities of the epithelial lining of odontogenic cysts. The case presented here illustrates the relationship of such a lesion arising from the cyst wall of an apical periodontal cyst.