Detection of metastases in oral squamous cell carcinoma: still a diagnostic impasse

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) being the most common malignancy of the oral cavity poses a significant public health problem due its impact on the speech, mastication, taste, swallowing and esthetics. Moreover, the presence of metastasis either regional or distant worsens the prognosis and reduces the survival rate in these patients. This makes it imperative to diagnose metastasis at an early stage to facilitate appropriate therapeutic management to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with this disease. There have been several modalities that have been developed and in wide-use for recognition of metastasis with their inherent advantages and disadvantages making it a perplexing dilemma to the clinician and surgeon alike. This paper aims to give an insight into the diagnostic workup available for the evaluation of metastasis in patients with OSCC and reinforces the need for further research to develop more accurate methods.