Central mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the anterior region of the mandible: report of an unusual case and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Central mucoepidermoid carcinoma is a rare lesion, whose exact pathogenesis is still not fully understood. Generally, it is more frequently encountered in the mandible than in the maxilla and in the posterior than in the anterior aspect of the jaws. Cases of central mucoepidermoid carcinomas are rarely mentioned in the literature, and therefore, additional information concerning this type of lesion is needed. CASE REPORT: In the present paper, we report an extremely unusual case of a central mucoepidermoid carcinoma in the anterior region of the mandible of a 37-year-old female patient. The diagnosis and the surgical management of the tumor along with the reconstructive techniques utilized to restore the mandible and a 6-year follow-up are discussed. DISCUSSION: Central mucoepidermoid carcinoma is an unusual tumor of the jaws, especially in the anterior region. It is only locally aggressive and has most frequently a good prognosis if treated with wide surgical excision.