Brown tumors of the jaws associated with primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism. A clinical study and review of the literature.

PURPOSE: The aim of this article is to present the development of brown tumors in the jaws as a definite feature of hyperparathyroidism (HPT), whether primary or secondary.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 2 cases of primary HPT and 3 cases of secondary HPT associated with brown tumors in the jaws. The patients presented in our clinic at the "G. Papanikolaou" Hospital in Thessaloniki for treatment of their disease. The patients were 4 women and 1 man, and patient's ages ranged from 21 to 76 years. Four cases of the brown tumors involved the mandible, and 1 case involved the maxilla and the maxillary sinus. The surgical excision of bone lesions and treatment of primary or secondary HPT were performed on the patients in our study.

RESULTS: Patient 1 (primary HPT, caused by an adenoma of the right parathyroid glands) was treated with surgical removal of the maxillary lesion and excision of the adenoma. Three years later, the patient is free of the disease, with no recurrence of the brown tumor. Patient 2 (primary HPT, caused by an adenoma of the right parathyroid glands) was treated with excision of the adenoma. One year later, a second bone lesion developed in the mandible, and 3(1/2) of the fourth parathyroid (right) glands was removed. The patient is being observed. The other 3 patients with brown tumors associated with secondary HPT were treated with excision of the bone lesions; HPT was treated with hemodialysis (2 patients) and renal transplantation (1 patient). For the patients treated with hemodialysis, the disease is under control and there is no recurrence of the brown tumors. The patient who underwent transplantation is free of the disease 7 years later.

CONCLUSIONS: Primary or secondary HPT may be recognized by the presence of an osteolytic lesion with giant cells, a condition referred as "brown tumor." The most useful therapy for patients with brown tumors is surgical excision of bone lesions and therapy (surgical or medical) for primary or secondary HPT.