Central giant cell granuloma associated with central ossifying fibroma of the jaws: a clinicopathologic study.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence of clinical, radiographic, and histopathologic characteristics of combined central giant cell granuloma (CGCG) and central ossifying fibroma (COF).

STUDY

DESIGN

Retrospective clinical and histomorphometric analysis of all cases diagnosed as CGCG or COF between 1994 and 2002.

RESULTS

A total of 51 cases were included in the study: CGCG (n = 23), COF (n = 25), and combined COF-CGCG (n = 3). All 3 lesions presented expansile, well-defined unilocular radiolucencies, with radiopacities (66%), root resorption (66%) and tooth displacement (33%). Microscopically, areas of classical CGCG and COF were separated by a transition zone of nonvascularized densely packed spindle cells. Surgical procedure resulted in recurrence within 1 year in 1 of 2 patients, calcitonin nasal spray treatment resulted in growth arrest in 1 case.

CONCLUSIONS

Because of the small number of the combined cases, the biologic behavior of the lesions is uncertain. The CGCG component may drive the clinical behavior toward a more aggressive behavior than classical COF; therefore, close follow-up is recommended.