Background: Current evidence suggests that nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS)-associated odontogenic keratocysts (OKCs) exhibit more aggressive clinical behavior and a higher tendency to relapse. The prognostic efficacy of various markers in sporadic and syndromic OKCs is unclear, and so are the results of studies on the usefulness of immunohistochemistry in distinguishing syndromic from sporadic OKCs.
Objectives: This retrospective study aimed to compare the prognostic relevance of various clinicoradiological and histopathological features, as well as the immunoexpression of COX-2, Bcl-2, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), p53, Ki-67, osteoprotegerin (OPG), receptor activator of nuclear factor κ B (RANK) and receptor activator of nuclear factor κ B ligand (RANKL), as well as RANKL/OPG balance between sporadic and syndromic OKCs, and to test their utility in distinguishing the 2 types of OKC.
Material and methods: We compared the immunoexpression of the aforementioned markers between 31 sporadic and 12 syndromic OKCs, and tested clinicopathological findings and levels of immunostaining against recurrence.
Results: We found a significant association between NBCCS and OKC recurrence. There were significant differences in PCNA, p53 and OPG immunoexpression between sporadic and syndromic OKCs. We also found that recurrent sporadic OKCs were significantly larger and markedly more often associated with cortical perforation. Recurrent sporadic OKCs exhibited COX-2 upregulation, but we failed to demonstrate its prognostic relevance. Recurrent syndromic OKCs showed a markedly higher RANKL > OPG ratio.
Conclusions: The NBCCS-associated OKCs are significantly more prone to recur than their sporadic counterparts. Larger size and radiological signs of cortical perforation in sporadic OKCs may indicate a higher risk of recurrence. The COX-2 is upregulated in recurrent sporadic OKCs, whereas recurrent syndromic OKCs exhibit higher RANKL and lower OPG expression; however, these findings have no prognostic relevance. The immunoexpression of p53, PCNA and OPG may help to distinguish syndromic from sporadic OKCs.
Keywords: keratocystic odontogenic tumor; odontogenic cyst; odontogenic keratocysts; oral surgery.