Oncocytomas of the upper jaw.

BACKGROUND

Oncocytomas are rare tumors; they occur most often in the parotid gland and here behave in a benign fashion. Few of these tumours have been described arising from tissues of the upper jaw. The reviews of the literature in these cases often appear incomplete. It has been suggested that outside the major salivary glands oncocytomas should be considered to be low-grade adenocarcinomas.

METHODS

We present a case of a 78-year-old woman with a frankly malignant oncocytoma of the lateral nasal wall, treated with radical local excision. A search of the world literature was undertaken and a review conducted.

RESULTS

We found a total of 19 cases affecting the upper jaw, in a wide age distribution, 10 male and 9 female. Thirteen cases were malignant, 3 with metastases.

CONCLUSIONS

When affecting the upper jaw, these tumors must be considered malignant. Radical surgical excision is the treatment most often employed.