Inflammatory pseudotumor: report of a case in the mandible.

BACKGROUND: Intraoral inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) is a rare, benign non-neoplastic lesion that presents as a rapidly growing mass with aggressive behavior, which can be mistaken for a malignant process. CASE REPORT: This article presents a rare case of IPT of the mandible in a 70-year-old male patient. Examination of the oral cavity revealed a hemorrhagic soft mass of the mandibular region. The patient was treated with surgery. Histologic examination of the resected specimen showed proliferation of fascicular spindle cells and a dense, chronic inflammatory cell infiltrate consisting of neutrophils, eosinophils, and lymphocytes. Immunohistochemically, the spindle cells expressed vimentin, α smooth muscle actin, and CD68, indicating a diagnosis of IPT. DISCUSSION: IPT is an unusual benign pathology in the oral and maxillofacial area. Because of its aggressive clinical and radiological features, it can be mistaken for a malignancy. We suggest that oral and maxillofacial surgeons should be aware of the specific features of IPT to avoid unnecessary aggressive treatments such as a radical resection.