Familial Gigantiform Cementoma with Calcium Steal Phenomenon and Social Stigma: A Case Report with Review of Literature

Abstract

Cemento-ossifying fibromas are benign fibro-osseous lesions characterized by deposition of cementum and fibrous tissue. Familial gigantiform cementoma (FGC) is an exceeding rare and distinct subtype of cemento-osseous-fibrous lesion. We hereby present a case of FGC in a young boy who was left to die due to the social stigma caused by the massive bony growth in the upper and lower jaw. The patient was somehow rescued by a non-governmental organization and underwent his surgical management at our hospital. On family screening, the mother also had similar smaller asymptomatic lesions in the jaw, but she refused further investigations and treatment. FGC is frequently associated with “calcium-steal phenomenon,” which was also seen in our patient. Family screening is therefore necessary to identify asymptomatic patients in the family and follow them up with radiology and whole body dual-energy absorptiometry scans.