Evaluating histopathological factors of predicting the recurrence rate of odontogenic keratocyst

Odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) is one of the most common jaw cysts with high recurrence rate. Some possible factors affecting recurrence that have not been evaluated in previous studies are examined in this study. This study aimed to predict the recurrence rate of OKC and more viable treatment of OKC.

In this descriptive, analytical, and cross‑sectional study, 10 recurrent OKCs, which both slides before and after recurrence were accessible, were collected from oral and maxillofacial pathology department’s archive. First, they were evaluated based on common histopathologic features. In the second phase, the frequency of these findings in 36 OKCs (24 samples with recurrence and 12 without recurrence after 5 years) was evaluated based on clinical, radiological, and histopathologic features. Data were analyzed by SPSS, Wilcoxon signed‑rank test, McNamara, t‑test, Chi‑square, Mann–Whitney, Fisher’s exact test, Cohen’s kappa coefficient, and odds ratio (P < 0/05).

According to this study, OKC in women, with multilocular radiolucency and mitosis in basal layer of epithelium as well as diffused inflammation, were statistically associated with probability of recurrence (P = 0.05, 0.035, 0.033, and 0.045, respectively). The corrugated surface, reverse polarity, hypercellularity in parabasal, and satellite cysts can affect the recurrence of OKC with odds ratios = 2.364, 2.364, 1.190, and 1.500, respectively).

Gender (women), multilocular radiolucency, diffused inflammation in stroma, and mitosis in basal layer of epithelial lining, can statically predict the possibility of recurrence rate. In addition, findings regarding the age (in younger patients), corrugated surface, reverse polarity, and sub‑basal cleft can be helpful in predicting recurrence.