Evaluation of Microvessel Density in Follicular Cyst, Keratocystic Odontogenic Tumor, and Ameloblastoma

Ameloblastoma is a benign epithelial odontogenic tumor that exhibits a more aggressive behavior than follicular cyst and keratocystic odontogenic tumor. The purpose of the current study was detection and evaluation of microvessel density (MVD) effect on growth and clinical behavior of above odontogenic lesions with immunohistochemistry. In this descriptive-analytic cross-sectional study, 45 paraffin blocks of mentioned lesions were selected and stained immunohistochemically with CD34. The mean MVD of each lesion in three microscopic fields was calculated separately and was evaluated in the two areas, adjacent and far from odontogenic epithelium and then were compared with one another. Mann-Whiteny and Kruskal Wallis tests were used for the statistical analysis. Mean microvessl density was 40.8±15.9, 25.4±5.3, and 9.4±3.52 in ameloblastoma, keratocystic odontogenic tumor, and follicular cyst, respectively.Mean microvessl density difference between the above mentioned lesions was statistically significant (P<0.001). In all the odontogenic lesions, the microvessel density adjacent to odontogenic epithelium was higher than the areas far from the epithelium (P=0.001). The increase in microvessel density in ameloblastoma compared to keratocystic odontogenic tumor and follicular cyst can be one of the main factors in ameloblastoma aggressive behavior. Angiogenesis adjacent to odontogenic epithelium has a more prominent role in growth of follicular cyst and progression and aggressive behavior of odontogenic tumors.