It was probably nothing - but he wanted to hear it from a professional. He was due for his yearly physical, so he made an appointment to see his doctor. Years ago, a friend had found a lump near her collarbone and ended up dying of cancer. The soreness had gone away, but still, the lump made him nervous. When he first saw it, while shaving maybe a couple of weeks earlier, it was a little tender. His fingers quickly found the small double-lobed bulge. Lowering his razor, he lifted his chin to see if the lima-bean-size lump was still visible on the right side of his neck, just under his jawbone. They're testing drugs that fight cancers linked to similar problem genes to see if they have the same effects on ameloblastomas.The 40-year-old man stared into the mirror. Scientists hope to find new treatments that can shrink these tumors without surgery. If it spreads to other parts of your body, radiation is usually recommended to slow or stop its growth. If a tumor does come back, it's more likely to become cancer. You should have follow-up scans for the next 5 years or so to make sure it's not growing back. You also may need rehabilitation to learn how to smile and chew again.Īfter surgery, you'll have a CT scan to make sure the tumor is gone. Your doctor will recommend surgery to re-create your jaw using bone from somewhere else in your body or artificial bone. ![]() Part of your jaw may need to be removed, as well as some of the arteries and nerves that affect your face. To make sure the tumor cells don't grow back, your doctor will take out the tumor and some of the healthy tissue around it. This is called a biopsy, and it can confirm it's an ameloblastoma and help determine how fast it's growing.ĭrugs and radiation don't seem to have much effect on most non-cancerous ameloblastomas, so they're usually treated with surgery. To take the sample, they'll use a needle or make a small cut. Your doctor may want to take a small sample of tissue to look at under a microscope. CT (computerized tomography) scan: Several X-rays are taken from different angles and put together to show more detailed information.MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): Powerful magnets and radio waves are used to make images of your mouth.They also can be diagnosed with the following: Diagnosisĭentists often spot these tumors on X-rays - they can look like soap bubbles on film. And scientists think some viruses or a lack of protein or minerals in your diet may be linked to them as well. They do know they're more common in men than in women, and certain genes seem to play a role.Īn injury to your jaw or an infection in your mouth also might raise your risk. Causeĭoctors aren't sure what causes ameloblastomas or why certain people get them. In rare cases, they can grow so large that they block your airway, make it difficult to open and close your mouth, or affect how your body takes in nutrients from food. They also can spread to your nose, eye socket, or skull. ![]() Occasionally, ameloblastomas grow quickly and painfully. It's found when they have an imaging scan done for some other reason. For a while, the only symptom may be swelling in the back of your jaw. The tumors usually grow slowly over many months or even years. In the United States, between 300 and 600 cases are diagnosed every year. If it goes untreated for a long time, it may become cancerous and spread to your lymph nodes or lungs.Īnyone can get one of these growths, but they're most often seen in adults ages 30 to 60. ![]() The tumor can cause pain or swelling and can change the look of your face. It's made from cells that form the enamel that protects your teeth. Ameloblastoma is a rare kind of tumor that starts in your jaw, often near your wisdom teeth or molars.
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