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Case Reports
. 2018 Jun;22(2):119-128.
doi: 10.1007/s10006-018-0677-y. Epub 2018 Jan 17.

Metastases from distant primary tumours on the head and neck: clinical manifestation and diagnostics of 91 cases

Affiliations
Case Reports

Metastases from distant primary tumours on the head and neck: clinical manifestation and diagnostics of 91 cases

Sven Holger Baum et al. Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2018 Jun.

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate which primary tumours metastasize on the head and neck region, identify the kind of clinical manifestation, the types of diagnostics that should be performed, and prove that the therapy appears possible and useful.

Patients: As many as 91 patients with a distant metastasis on the head and neck were enrolled in this retrospective clinical study from January 2004 to September 2016. All the patients were evaluated for clinical symptoms, primary tumour, localization, diagnostics, and surgical procedure.

Results: A total of 31 patients had asymptomatic swelling, 27 patients had symptomatic swelling, and nine experienced isolated pain without swelling. Most other symptoms were organ-specific. The most frequent localizations were the orbit (44 metastases), mandible (19), neck region (9), and skin (7). The most common primary tumours were breast carcinoma (44), bronchial carcinoma (12), and renal carcinoma (9). A biopsy was performed on 38 patients, a partial resection was done on 28 patients, extirpation on six patients, and a radical resection on 19 patients.

Conclusion: Distant metastases on the head and neck are rare and, therefore, pose a challenge for the oncologist and other involved disciplines. Most distant metastases occur within the first five years. Late metastases, especially in breast carcinoma, are still possible after 20 years. A surgical examination should be carried out if the findings are not clear due to multiple differential diagnoses. In particular, surgical options under palliative aspects should be examined.

Keywords: diagnostics; distant metastases; head and neck; localization; primary tumour; symptoms.

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