Distant metastasis of carcinoma in the maxillo-facical region--relationship to the method of therapy and TNM system.

Based upon the autopsy findings, the incidence of distant metastasis was studied to seek the relativity between the method of treatment and the TNM system at the time of initial examination on 31 cases with squamous cell carcinoma in the maxillo-facial region. The results are summarized as follows: 1) The incidence of distant metastasis among all of these cases was 58 per cent. 2) There was no significant difference in the incidence between the groups with radiation therapy and chemotherapy. 3) There was no relativity with the TNM system. 4) In the group with radiation therapy, the incidence at the "sites of the movable mucosa" was significantly higher than that at the "sites of the non-movable mucosa." 5) There was no relationship to the performance of radical neck dissection.