Reconnoitre ameloblastic carcinoma: A prognostic update.

AIM: Malignant odontogenic tumor, ameloblastic carcinoma (AC) is challenging to study owing to its rarity, complexity and limited availability of literature. This further makes it difficult to establish its clinical characteristics and prognosis. Our study aimed to evaluate AC's clinico-demographic factors and their relation with prognosis and survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Literature was systematically reviewed for cases pertaining to AC, starting from January 2000 to December 2016. All the required data was obtained, arranged and analysed using Cox regression ratio and Kaplan Meir survival analysis. From the database, 153 cases were retrieved as per the inclusion/exclusion criteria. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that age of patient, mode of treatment and metastasis affects overall survival. The categorisation of AC as primary or secondary type does not have any role in determining prognosis. CONCLUSION: Overall survival of AC patient depends upon age, site, treatment and metastasis. For a better prognosis early surgical management of the tumor appears to be the most favourable mode of treatment.