The aim of this study was to present the clinical, radiological, and histopathological findings of 20 new Korean GOC cases with a brief literature review. The mean age of 20 GOC patients was 43.5 years (range, 29-73 years) with a strong predilection for male (male-to-female ratio, 4:1). Nine cases were located in the maxilla and 11 cases in the mandible. Eight cases involved the anterior areas of the jaws and 12 cases were located in the posterior area. Most of the cases (16/20, 80.0%) showed a well-defined unilocular radiolucency and some showed cortical perforation (55.6%) and bony expansion (72.2%) in computed tomography. The most common histopathological feature was eosinophilic cuboidal cells (100%), followed by clear cells (95.0%), mucous cells (85.0%), variations in thickness (85.0%), and intraepithelial microcysts (80.0%). All cases were surgically treated by enucleation and no recurrences were found in routine follow-up.

A 17-year-old male patient was referred for the extraction of impacted mesiodens and canine (#23) before orthodontic treatment. In the radiologic examination, an ovoid-shape radiolucent lesion was found with well-defined hyperostotic rim involved the teeth in left maxillary area. After biopsy examination the lesion was diagnosed as glandular odontogenic cyst (GOC) differentially from non-odontogrnic cysts, i.e., nasopalatine duct cyst. In the immunohistochemistry the cyst epithelium was freguently positive for PCNA, clearly positive for amtloblastin, slightly positive for β-catenin, but rarely positive for amelogenin and cytokeratin 7. Mucin and PRP were positive in the secretory cells of the cyst epithelium. On the other hand, TNFα was strongly positive in the macropahges infiltrated into the mucin-filled cyst lumen, and CD68 and CD31 were positive in the mucin-filled macropahges. These findings may indicate that the glandular elements are derived from hamartomatous secretory organ and that this odontogenic cyst is arisen from the embryonal rests of enamel epithelium, which has a potential to be differentiated into not only the enamel organ but also the secretory gland. Taken together, we assumed that the present case of GOC was originated from the odontogenic epithelium of impacted teeth, but showed the cytodifferentiation of glandular cells.

A case was reponed in which an odontogenic cyst that appeared to be a dentigerous cyst associated with an impacted mandibular third molar was found histologically to demonstrate characteIistics of glanclu lar odontogenic cyst with para- and orthokeratinization. 까1ese histologic cliversities were interpreted as a reflection of the pluripotentiality of the epithelial remnants of the mandibular thircl molars or clentigerous cyst epithelium. It was conceivable that it would have the capacity of inclucing the fonnation of cysts with both squamous and glandular epithelium.