Metastases to the oral mucosa: analysis of 157 cases

A review of the English-language literature revealed 157 well-documented cases of metastatic lesions to the oral mucosa. Most (64%) were diagnosed in patients in their fifth to seventh decade. The frequency of the primary site differed between genders: for men it was the lung (35.5%) followed by the kidney (16%) and skin (15%); for women it was the breast (24%) followed by the genital organs (17%). The most common oral site was the gingiva and alveolar mucosa (54.8%) followed by the tongue (27.4%), and with much less frequency by the tonsil, palate, lip, buccal mucosa and floor of the mouth. Of the dentulous patients, 79% exhibited the metastatic tumor in the attached gingiva. The clinical appearance of the metastatic oral lesion in most cases resembled hyperplastic or reactive lesions.