Desmoplastic fibroma (fibromatosis) of the jawbones. Report of a case and review of the literature.

Desmoplastic fibroma (fibromatosis) is rarely seen as a primary tumor of bone. Its occurrence as a central lesion in the jaws is even more uncommon. The case of a 26-year-old woman with a central desmoplastic fibroma of the body of the mandible is described. The lesion manifested as a painless swelling and radiographically appeared as a well-delineated radiolucency. On exploration, the tumor was found to have infiltrated through the lingual cortex. Microscopic examination revealed invasion of muscle. The clinicopathologic features of this case and of the twenty-five similar lesions previously described in the literature are analyzed and discussed.