Metastatic breast carcinoma presenting with multiple gingival epulides

Oral Soft Tissue Metastasis from Breast Cancer as the Only Primary Source: Systematic Review

Background  Breast cancer is one of the most lethal neoplasms causing death. Oral cavity is the rare site of distant metastasis from breast cancer. Very little research has been conducted to date to analyze breast cancer as the sole primary source of metastasis to the oral soft tissues. The goal of this study was to examine the published cases of oral soft tissue metastasis from breast cancer as the only primary source to date. Methods  An electronic search of the published literature was performed without publication year limitation in PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Science Direct, Embase, and Research Gate databases, using mesh keywords like ("Breast cancer", OR "Breast carcinoma") AND ("Metastasis" OR "Metastases"), And ("Oral soft tissues" OR "Tongue" OR "Palate" OR "Tonsil" OR "Buccal mucosa" OR "Floor of mouth" OR "Vestibule" OR "Salivary glands"). We also searched all related journals manually. The reference list of all articles was also checked. Results  Our research revealed 88 relevant papers (September 1967-September 2023) with 96 patients in total. The most predominant oral soft tissues involved were salivary glands followed by the gingiva, tonsils, tongue, and buccal mucosa. A total of 23% of patients died with an average survival time of 1 to 15 months. Conclusions  Oral soft tissue metastasis from breast cancer is a rare event and has a bad prognosis. More cases need to be published to raise awareness of these lesions.

Metastatic tumors to the oral and maxillofacial region: a retrospective study of 19 cases in West China and review of the Chinese and English literature

PURPOSE

The aim of this article was to obtain an overview of metastatic tumors to the oral and maxillofacial (OMF) region, especially the differences in the constituent ratios of primary cancers between the United States and China.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Clinical findings of 19 cases encountered in West China Hospital of Stomatology were summarized and the English and Chinese literature were reviewed and analyzed. The main clinical features of OMF metastases were summarized, with an emphasis on primary cancers' constituents.

RESULTS

The lung, breast, kidney, liver, and prostate were the top 5 common primary sites of cancer. However, there was a significant difference in the primary cancers' constituents between United States and China (P < .001). The breast, kidney, prostate cancers, and melanoma of skin were more frequent primary cancers in United States than in China, whereas that of the lung, thyroid, liver, esophagus, and the stomach were more common in China than in United States. The proportions of the OMF metastatic lesions originating in the lung, kidney, liver, thyroid, and esophagus in all OMF metastatic tumors were higher than the corresponding primary cancers' prevalent proportions.

CONCLUSIONS

The frequency of developing OMF metastasis is not always consistent with primary cancers' prevalence, which suggests that different cancers have different potentiality to develop OMF metastasis. Cancers of the kidney, liver, lung, thyroid, and esophagus were more likely to spread to the OMF region. In general screening of primary cancer, it would be helpful to take into account the metastatic potentiality of different cancers and primary cancers' prevalence in different countries in the case of occult primary.

Breast metastasis around dental implants: a case report

BACKGROUND

Metastases to the oral cavity and to the jaws are rare; hence, the clinical manifestations of the oral metastasis lesion could frequently be simulating general pathologic entities, making the diagnosis a challenging process to the dental team. Local factors, such as trauma, have been observed to facilitate the growth of blood-borne tumors. To this end, surgical procedures such as fixture placement might cause cancer cells to spread.

PURPOSE

Careful clinical examination is a valuable help in diagnosing oral lesions, which can improve the quality of life of patients and reduce the risks of oral complications.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A female patient was referred to the clinic with symptoms of irritation, swelling, and pain associated with implants in the mandible and the maxilla.

RESULTS

Clinical examination, x-ray, and histopathology revealed that the patients suffered from a metastatic lesion, primary tumor being an adenocarcinoma of the breast diagnosed at the same time.

CONCLUSION

Optimal clinical examination in conjunction with radiography and histopathology is a necessity in order to discover malignant lesions in time. Routine dental check-ups must comprise more thorough soft-tissue examination.

Metastatic breast carcinoma mimicking periodontal disease on radiographs

BACKGROUND

Tumors can metastasize to the jaws, oral soft tissues, or salivary glands. Metastasis from distant organs and tissues to the jaws or oral cavity is considered rare.

RESULTS

The mandible is the most common site of metastasis of the oral and maxillofacial region. Radiographically, there is usually an area of radiolucency with hazy outline. Such lesions are manifested as radiopaque or sclerotic areas.

CONCLUSIONS

Radiographic view of a tumor in the present case mimicked a periodontal lesion with an osteolytic area around the roots.

Metastatic tumours to the oral region. An overview

Metastatic tumours to the oral region are uncommon. There are more published cases of jawbone metastases than in oral soft tissues. The most common primary sources of metastatic tumours to the oral region are the breast, lung, kidney, bone and colon. The breast is the most common primary site for tumours metastasising to the jawbones, whereas the lung is the most common source for metastases to the oral soft tissues. In the jawbones, the common location of the metastatic lesions is the mandible, with the molar area being the most frequent involved site. In the oral soft tissues, the attached gingiva is the most common affected site followed by the tongue. In nearly 30% of cases, the metastatic lesion in the oral region is the first indication of an undiscovered malignancy at a distant site. The biological basis of the metastatic process is discussed.

Alopecia neoplastica simulating alopecia areata and antedating the detection of primary breast carcinoma

A woman with no previous history of breast carcinoma presented with focal hair loss, which was presumptively diagnosed as alopecia areata. After treatment failures, a scalp biopsy was performed, which subsequently led to the diagnosis of breast carcinoma. This case illustrates the subtle course which breast cancer can take and the insidious manner in which it may present. It alerts clinicians and pathologists to the possibility of secondary causes, including malignancy, in the differential diagnosis of alopecia refractory to usual treatments.