Pulmonary adenocarcinoma metastatic to the gingiva

Abstract

Gingival metastasis from lung cancer is very uncommon. We report a case of distant metastasis of pulmonary adenocarcinoma in the mandibular gingiva. A 54-year-old man was admitted to our hospital on September 1, 1997 with hemoptysis. Right upper lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection was performed on September 16. On the 14th postoperative day, the patient complained of a gingival swelling. In the lower right premolar area, a wide pedunculated mass was seen on the mandibular gingiva. Excisional biopsy of the tumor was performed, and histopathological examination revealed that the tumor was a metastatic lesion from the pulmonary adenocarcinoma. The patient received 46.8 Gy of linac irradiation to the tumor area and the entire oral condition improved markedly. However, bilateral adrenal gland metastases were recognized, and left inguinal lymph node metastasis was detected 2 months after lung resection. He developed tumor metastases to multiple organs and died of respiratory failure on December 12, 1997.