[Metastases from distant primary tumors to the head and neck]

The authors present 12 patients with metastases to the head and neck from neoplasm located in distant places treated from 1980 to 2002. Most of the metastatic tumors were located in neck lymph nodes--7 cases, the others were located in neck lymph nodes and cerebellum (1), in the nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses and brain (1), in the maxilla and zygomatic bone (1) in the frontal bone (1) and in the orbit (1). In 8 cases metastatic tumor was the first symptom of neoplastic disease. The others--4 cases--were found 1 to 12 years after diagnosis of neoplastic disease. Primary tumors were located in lungs, kidneys and breast.