Diagnostic Enigma of Adenoid Ameloblastoma: Literature Review Based Evidence to Consider It as a New Sub Type of Ameloblastoma

Adenoid ameloblastoma is a hybrid odontogenic tumour showing histopathological features of both ameloblastoma and adenomatoid odontogenic tumour (AOT), with approximately 40 cases reported in the literature. The aims of the report are to illustrate the diagnostic challenges of adenoid ameloblastoma using three new cases and to analyze evidence in literature to consider adenoid ameloblastoma as a new sub type of ameloblastoma. A literature review was performed with the key words—adenoid ameloblastoma, hybrid/composite odontogenic tumours, hybrid ameloblastoma and adenomatoid odontogenic tumour, ameloblastoma with inductive changes, dentinoid and dentinoma to select the cases compatible with the diagnosis of adenoid ameloblastoma. Out of the 40 cases reported in literature, 31 cases with sufficient information and 3 new cases were analyzed. Out of the 34 adenoid ameloblastomas majority of tumours (76.5%) occurred in adults with age ranging from 25 to 55 years. Slight female predilection with a male:female ratio of 0.9:1 was observed. Approximately, 64.7% occurred in the mandible. Radiologically, 82.4% of adenoid ameloblastomas presented as radiolucent lesions while 47.1% occurred with ill-defined margins and cortical perforation at diagnosis. Histopathologically, 70.8% of tumours presented as plexiform ameloblastomas, while duct like structures/glandular structures were the commonest feature supportive of adenomatoid odontogenic tumour observed in overwhelming majority of 95.9% of adenoid ameloblastomas. 91.6% of tumours showed inductive change in the form of dentinoid. Further, 45.4% of the tumours developed at least one recurrence following surgical excision. The report presents literature review based evidence to show the existence of adenoid ameloblastoma, which is demographically similar to conventional ameloblastoma but with histopathological differences and presenting with higher rate/multiple recurrences, indicating its biological aggressiveness. Thus, we would like to propose the inclusion of adenoid ameloblastoma as a sub type of ameloblastoma in the next revision of the WHO odontogenic tumour classification.