title: Malignant tumors could be misinterpreted as temporomandibular joint disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article stresses the importance of exclusion of malignant tumors as a cause of temporomandibular joint disorder, which is usually caused by intra-articular or musculoligamental dysfunction without considering malignant tumors as a cause of such complaints.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three patients were referred to us because of persistent and recurrent temporomandibular joint dysfunction. All patients were treated more than once through their general practitioner, ear nose and throat physician, or dental physician without significant improvement. After adequate clinical and radiological examination, malignant tumors were discovered as a cause of such complaints.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with primary or secondary tumors could present with symptoms simulating temporomandibular joint disorder and will therefore be treated similarly. In such condition, missing that rare cause will consequently lead to unnecessary delayed diagnosis and may cost the patients their lives.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Freiburg Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany. Electronic address: jamil2251973@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Jamil Mohammed
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Al-Jamali
authors.forename: Pit Jackob
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Voss
authors.forename: Bassem Ahmed
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Bayazeed
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spanou
authors.forename: Jörg-Elard
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Otten
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schmelzeisen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001706:Biopsy; D002283:Carcinoma, Bronchogenic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D012512:Sarcoma, Ewing / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D012888:Skull Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*