title: Vertebral metastases from oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to review the incidence and clinical presentation of vertebral metastases related to squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective review of our clinical experience with 597 cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four patients with vertebral metastases were identified, accounting for 0.7% of the series. Thirteen vertebrae were involved in these 4 patients. All patients showed advanced cervical metastases as evidenced by several histologically positive nodes with extracapsular invasion when the ablative tumor specimen was examined. All patients displayed symptoms of their vertebral metastases, including severe pain, hypercalcemic somnolence, and flaccid paralysis of the lower extremities as part of the cauda equina syndrome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vertebral metastases are rare forms of distant metastasis related to squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity. Bone pain is a symptom that should result in expedient radiographic examination in such patients, particularly when advanced cervical metastases are identified during the primary tumor surgery, which places the patient at risk for distant metastatic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Tennessee, Graduate School of Medicine, Knoxville 37920, USA.
authors.forename: Eric R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ord
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000556:secondary*; D002420:Cauda Equina / Q000503:physiopathology; D002423:Cause of Death; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005887:Gingival Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006934:Hypercalcemia / Q000209:etiology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D009123:Muscle Hypotonia / Q000209:etiology; D009333:Neck; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000209:etiology; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000209:etiology; D010243:Paralysis / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000502:physiology; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000556:secondary*