Metastasis to the oral soft tissues: A review of 412 cases

Abstract

The present review article analyzes the characteristics of metastases to the oral soft tissues from 1937 to 2015. An extensive literature search was performed. All variables such as age, gender, and primary and secondary tumor sites were analyzed. Metastases to the major salivary glands were not included in this review. In general, there were 412 metastatic lesions developed in the oral soft tissues. The male-to-female ratio was approximately 1.8:1. The mean age of the patients at diagnosis was 58. The lung was the most common primary site and the gingiva was the most common metastatic site. The greater part of the histological examination yielded adenocarcinoma. The diagnosis of a metastatic lesion in the oral cavity is a challenge to the clinicians due to the lack of pathognomonic signs and symptoms. Oral metastases usually occur in the advanced stages of cancers, and the interval between appearance and death is usually short. The oral soft tissue metastasis can be easily recognized compared to the metastasis of jawbones. Early detection of oral lesions is important in the case of being the first sign of a malignancy in other parts of body.

Keywords: Metastasis; mouth; soft tissue.