A 10-year audit of the clinical features and histopathologic subtypes of ameloblastoma at a Nairobi Centre

Abstract

Background: The pattern of ameloblastoma in Africans has shown a marked difference from that of non -African populations. Previous studies on ameloblastoma in the Kenyan population have been inconclusive and with the availability of more data over the years, a clinicopathological re-evaluation of any feature that can provide further insight on ameloblastomas in the general Kenyan population based on histopathological subtypes were highly desirable. This report presents a clinicopathological analysis of 184 cases of ameloblastoma reported in Nairobi, Kenya. Objective: To describe the clinicopathologic pattern of ameloblastoma in Kenyans. Study Site: University of Nairobi Dental Hospital, division of Oral Pathology and Oral Medicine. Study Design: A descriptive audit including all patient records with a histopathologically confirmed report of ameloblastoma based on the routine Haematoxylin and Eosin staining during the period of January 1995 and December 2005. Data with respect to the patient's ages, gender, tumour location, duration and presenting symptoms as well as the radiographic findings and histopathological subtypes of the ameloblastoma were analysed