[The metastasis of gastric adenocarcinoma to the gingiva of the mandible--review of the Japanese literature].

While reports of malignant tumors that have metastasized to the oral regions have been relatively rare, a metastases to the gingiva of the mandibula from stomach cancers are most unusual. However, we recently encountered such a case, and a review of the literature, from 1967 to 1988, has uncovered a series of 111 cases of malignant tumors metastatic to the mouth. 1. The average age at incidence was 55.8 years, with more males that were affected (74 males:33 females). 2. The original sites were found to be primarily in the lung (31 cases), the stomach (19 cases), and the kidney (11 cases). 3. The metastatic lesions that occurred in the mandibula were located more often in the molar regions. 4. The primary symptoms of the metastases were (1) swelling, (2) mass, and (3) pain. 5. Pathologically verified metastases to the mouth were classified as follows: (1) adenocarcinoma, (2) undifferentiated carcinoma, and (3) squamous cell carcinoma. 6. Informatively, 6.35% of the patients developed symptoms prior to diagnosis of the primary disease.