Keratocystic Odontogenic Tumor (KCOT/OKC)—Clinical Guidelines for Resection

There is no clinical consensus for the treatment of Keratocystic Odontogenic Tumor (KCOT). KCOTs are regarded as benign aggressive tumors and resection is usually considered as a last option. We review the clinical indications for resection based on a case series.This is a retrospective study of patients with KCOT treated in a single unit over 17 years. Eighty patients were identified, of which 12 (15 %) underwent resection. The remaining 68 patients were managed by enucleation and curettage, enucleation with peripheral ostectomy, or decompression with secondary enucleation. Data extracted includes gender, age, race, location, previous treatment for the lesion, surgery and outcome/follow up.Twelve patients treated by resection were identified. The location in the ten benign resected KCOTs was either the mandibular ramus or the posterior maxilla. All mandibular KCOTs exhibited perforation of the lingual plate and involvement of the pterygoid musculature. Seven of the ten cases were recurrent KCOTs and three had no prior treatment. Two had malignant changes in the KCOT and were also resected.The primary reason for resection of KCOT was involvement of the pterygoid muscles. The presence of malignant change was a separate indication for resection.