Carcinoma is a complex disease where basic physiological processes of the body become unregulated, such as cell division, apoptosis and cell migration. “Metastasis is defined as the transfer of the cancer cells from one organ or part to another site, not directly connected with it”. Metastasis of a carcinoma basically leads to the morbidity and eventual mortality. Metastatic tumor show similar histology with the primary malignancy and are separated by an amount of intervening healthy tissue. Carcinomas (83%) when compared to sarcomas (17%), are more commonly occurring oral metastatic tumor. Metastasis to the oral cavity is usually less common accounting almost 1% of all the oral malignant tumors. It may involve oral soft tissues and the jaw bones. Oral metastases may be the first sign of the metastatic spread in 25% of cases where as in 23% cases it is the first indication of an undiscovered malignancy at a distant site. Many tumors of internal organs such as liver, kidney, lung or gastric, sometimes may not have severe sign & symptoms in its earliest stage and so, oral metastasis may expose the primary tumor site. Therefore, oral lesions and manifestations may suspect the possibility of metastasis from distant sites and this mandate the necessary investigations for early diagnosis, treatment and better prognosis of the patient.
