Radiation Oncology/Head & Neck/Ameloblastoma

• First recognized in 1827 by Cusack JW
• Designated as adamantinoma in 1885 by the French physician Louis-Charles Malassez
• Finally renamed to the modern name ameloblastoma in 1930 by Ivey and Churchill
• Rare, benign or cancerous tumor of odontogenic epithelium (ameloblasts, or outside portion, of the teeth during development)
• Much more commonly appearing in the lower jaw than the upper jaw
• Four types of ameloblastoma have been described by the WHO 2017 classification:
  1. Conventional (solid/multicystic) type
  2. Unicystic
  3. Peripheral/extraosseous
  4. Metastasising (malignant)
• Surgical resection or enucleation remains the most definitive treatment for this condition
• Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, curettage and liquid nitrogen have been effective in some cases of ameloblastoma