title: Distant metastases from lip and oral cavity cancer.
abstract: Distant metastases related to lip carcinomas occur very exceptionally (0.5-2%) and can be expected in cases of advanced tumors with advanced regional disease. Distant metastases from oral cavity carcinomas vary over a broad interval (8-17%) and depend also on the stage of disease. The knowledge of the presence of distant metastases is vital for the planning of further treatment. From a clinical point of view, patients with lip and oral cavity can be divided into a group where the risk of distant metastases is low, and into a high-risk one. In low-risk group patients (stages I, II and III) the risk of the incidence of distant metastases is 3%, and the diagnostic approach should consist of an X-ray of the lungs and liver tests. Further examinations are necessary if there are symptoms suggesting the presence of distant metastases or previous examinations are abnormal. The high-risk group (stage IV) and all patients with locoregional relapse have a risk of distant metastases of approximately 10% and the best treatment consists of a positron emission tomography (PET) scan. If a PET scanner is not available it is recommended to run a computed tomography scan of the lungs and liver tests. If any clinical investigation is abnormal further tests are necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. jan.betka@lfmotol.cuni.cz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Betka
mesh_terms: D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D008048:Lip Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis