European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Introduction: Odontogenic lesions are relatively common lesions and account for a substantial part of total oral biopsies by an oral pathologist. Some lesions like the keratocysticodontogenic tumor (KCOT) exhibit a locally aggressive behavior.Myofibroblasts (MFs) are specialized fibroblasts. These cells play a role in physiological processes like wound healing and pathologic conditions like reactive lesions, benign tumors, locally aggressive tumors and malignancies affecting oral cavity. Earlier, it was believed that the presence of Myofibroblasts (MFs) at the invasive front of the tumor was a part of the host defence mechanism against the tumor, but recent studies suggest that the presence of these cells at the tumor front promotes the growth and invasion of the tumor. The presence of Myofibroblasts has been reported in the stroma of many odontogenic lesions, including both cysts and tumors. Studies conducted both on odontogenic cysts and tumors revealed that the cells were particularly more in lesions with locally aggressive behavior like odontogenic keratocyst (OKC).
The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of Myofibroblasts in KeratocysticOdontogenic Tumor and its objectives were to compare the expression and distribution pattern of Myofibroblasts in KeratocysticOdontogenic Tumor (KCOT) as compared to their expression in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma and to derive a co-relation between the stromal Myofibroblasts and the known biologic behavior of KeratocysticOdontogenic Tumor (KCOT).