Maxillary ameloblastoma with intracerebral extension: Report of a case

A 73-year-old Negro woman with an aggressive ameloblastoma was treated surgically. All attempts to remove the tumor completely were unsuccessful. From its original site in the left maxilla, the tumor extended upward, destroyed the base of the skull, and infiltrated the brain, replacing the temporal lobe of the brain. The extensive squamous metaplasia of the stellate reticulum, its focal hypercellularity, and the predominance of the epithelium over the stroma evidenced in certain areas of the tumor may be considered features related to the aggressiveness of this neoplasm. Ameloblastomas are rare neoplasms of the jaws. They are of clinical importance because they resist treatment and have a tendency to recur and invade the surrounding tissues. If uncontrolled, they may extend to the base of the skull and even infiltrate the brain.