Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma - A case report and literature review of odontogenic tumors with clear cells

Clear cell odontogenic carcinomas are uncommon epithelial neoplasms that have metastatic potential. We describe such a tumor in a 67-year-old Japanese man with a well-defined, unilocular radiolucent area in the mandible. The tumor was enucleated and has not recurred or metastasized 3 years after surgery. Histologically, the tumor was composed of a predominant clear cell area and a plexiform ameloblastic pattern. The latter was located at the periphery of the tumor. In the English literature, 19 cases of clear cell odontogenic carcinoma, clear cell odontogenic tumor, and clear cell ameloblastoma have been reported. The mean age of the patients at diagnosis was 56.4 years and the gender ratio (M:F) was 8:11. Fourteen tumors were located in the mandible and 5 in the maxilla. Recurrence or metastasis occurred in approximately one half of these patients, and five of the patients died of their disease. More than one half of recurrent or metastatic tumors contained palisading clear cells.