Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma, diagnostic difficulties. A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma (COCC) is a rare tumor described by Hansen et al. in 1985. The clinical and radiological manifestations are multiple and the diagnosis is histological. OBSERVATION: A 64-year-old patient consulted us for a right mandibular osteolytic lesion associated to a homolateral labial hypoesthesia. A biopsy was performed under local anesthesia. Histology was consistent with a metastatic lesion of clear kidney cell carcinoma, COCC, or odontogenic squamous tumor. Additional tests eliminated a metastatic lesion. A wide excision of the lesion by hemi-mandibulectomy associated with lymph node dissection and reconstruction by a fibula osteoseptocutaneous flap was performed. Presence of a fission of the EWSR1 gene on the histological examination of the surgical specimen made the diagnosis of COCC. DISCUSSION: Our observation illustrates the difficulty of diagnosing COCC. The new contribution of the cytogenetic techniques such as FISH-type techniques makes possible the improvement of the diagnosis.