S. Sankethguddad

Metastasis is a complex biological course that begins with detachment of tumor cells from the primary tumor, spreading into the distant tissues and/or organs, invading through the lymphovascular structures followed by their survival in the circulation. Metastatic tumors to the oro‑facial region are uncommon and account for approximately 1‑1.5% of all malignant oral tumors. Metastatic lesions can be found anywhere in the oral cavity, however, the jawbones with the molar area is the most frequently involved site. In the oral soft tissues, the gingival is the most common site, suggesting the possible role of inflammation in the attraction of metastatic deposits. Metastatic carcinomas in oral region can be the first clinical manifestation of an undiagnosed primary systemic tumor. The symptoms of metastatic carcinoma depend on the location of the tumor and can be variable, which may lead to erroneous diagnosis or may create diagnostic dilemma. Therefore, they should be considered in the differential diagnosis of inflammatory and reactive lesions that are common to the oral region. Most of the literature on oral metastases involves case reports; hence this present article is an attempt to provide a detailed review of pathogenesis, epidemiological details including clinical and radiographic presentations, microscopic features and treatment of metastatic tumors to the jaw bones and oral cavity. Key words: metastatic tumors, jawbones, oral soft tissue.