Objectives: Odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) presents considerable variation in aggressiveness and propensity for recurrence, yet hitherto, no explicit clinicopathological features have been determined to clearly demonstrate the potential for relapse. This retrospective study aims to investigate the prognostic relevance of various clinicopathological features as well as immunoexpression of COX-2, bcl-2, PCNA, and p53 in sporadic OKC.
Materials and methods: Among 41 patients with OKC treated by enucleation, the frequency of recurrence for various clinicopathological features as well as immunoexpression for COX-2, bcl-2, PCNA, and p53 was evaluated.
Results: The mean follow-up was 8.49 years, and recurrences were ascertained in 29.27% of cases. We found significant differences between recurrent and non-recurrent cysts in terms of multilocularity (P = 0.029), cortical perforation (P = 0.001), and lesion size (P < 0.001). Hazard risk for the recurrence was 3.362 (95% CI 1.066-10.598) for multilocular cysts, 7.801 (95% CI 2.1-28.985) for evidence of cortical perforation, and 1.004 (1.002-1.006) for 1 mm2 of lesion size on panoramic radiographs. We also found that immunoexpression of PCNA significantly correlates with the radiographic evidence of cortical perforation (P = 0.048) and that there is significant positive correlation between expression of COX-2 and bcl-2 (P = 0.001) as well as significant negative correlation between immunoexpression of COX-2 and age (P = 0.002). None of the other analyzed factors were associated with the recurrence.
Conclusions: Larger size, multilocularity, and cortical perforation in sporadic OKC may be correlated with the relapse.
Clinical relevance: Immunohistochemical analyses of COX-2, bcl-2, PCNA, and p53 lack prognostic utility in sporadic OKC.
Keywords: COX-2; Keratocystic odontogenic tumor; Odontogenic keratocyst; PCNA; bcl-2; p53.